The Seagull is a play in four companies by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov from 1896. It describes the complications of a number of people from the upper of Russian society at the end of the 19th century.
The piece is set on the estate of the old statesman Sorin. The four main characters (the famous but somewhat ingrained actress Arkadina, her son Constantin with writers aspirations, the famous writer Trigorin and the neighbor girl Nina who wants to become an actress) all have their own artistic and romantic Worries. The other roles (Soriners steward Shamraeff, his wife Paulina, their daughter Masha, the Doctor Dorn and the schoolmaster Medviedenko) also have their own problems. Shamraeff worries about the management of the estate and tries in vain to fall into the taste of Arkadina which he admires limitlessly. Polina is unhappy with her marriage and has a relationship with Dorn. Masha is madly in love with Constantin, but he is in love with Nina. Medviedenko in turn keeps from Masha.
Remarkably to the larger pieces of Chekhov is that they rest for the most part on fully developed characters instead of a melodramatic story. This means, for example, that the more spectacular scenes take place backstage, but that the relationships between the characters are all the more prominent.
The first boost was not a success. The audience responded so hostile that the actress who played Nina (Vera Komissarzjevskaja) lost her voice. Out of shame, Chekhov spent the last three companies behind the scenes and vowed to never write a play again. However, later performances under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski were a great success.
The piece is set on the estate of the old statesman Sorin. The four main characters (the famous but somewhat ingrained actress Arkadina, her son Constantin with writers aspirations, the famous writer Trigorin and the neighbor girl Nina who wants to become an actress) all have their own artistic and romantic Worries. The other roles (Soriners steward Shamraeff, his wife Paulina, their daughter Masha, the Doctor Dorn and the schoolmaster Medviedenko) also have their own problems. Shamraeff worries about the management of the estate and tries in vain to fall into the taste of Arkadina which he admires limitlessly. Polina is unhappy with her marriage and has a relationship with Dorn. Masha is madly in love with Constantin, but he is in love with Nina. Medviedenko in turn keeps from Masha.
Remarkably to the larger pieces of Chekhov is that they rest for the most part on fully developed characters instead of a melodramatic story. This means, for example, that the more spectacular scenes take place backstage, but that the relationships between the characters are all the more prominent.
The first boost was not a success. The audience responded so hostile that the actress who played Nina (Vera Komissarzjevskaja) lost her voice. Out of shame, Chekhov spent the last three companies behind the scenes and vowed to never write a play again. However, later performances under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski were a great success.
