The Seagull - Paperback

by Anton Chekhov (Author)

Chekhov's treatment of theatre and love against the background of a magical lake attempts to define the role of the artist in the modern world. Plays for Performance Series.

Back Jacket

A group of friends and relations gather at a country estate to see the first performance of an experimental play, written and staged by the young man of the house, Konstantin. Among the audience are Konstantin's mother, the actress Arkadina, and her lover, the famous novelist Trigorin. Their glamorous presence not only disrupts the performance but soon takes on a more profound significance for the lives of all those present. The Seagull has always been a favourite among Chekhov's plays. It was in fact his first success - and the first success for Stanislavski, who directed and acted in it - though the first ever production of the play had been a disaster.

Author Biography

The Plays for Performance series is edited by Nicholas Rudall, former artistic director of the Court Theatre at the University of Chicago where he is professor of classics, and Bernard Sahlins, founder and director of the Second City. They both live in Chicago, Illinois.