Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull has come a long way since its disastrous premiere on stage more than 100 years ago. After a hostile reception from the original audience in St. Petersburg in 1896, the production soon rose to the top of Russian theatre after much critical acclaim. The play will now make its Pepperdine debut with five shows from April 7 through 11.
Abundant in symbolism, the story follows the lives of four artists, all looking to break free from the traps of their dismal lives. All aspects of the production aim to emphasize this point. Even the set is constructed in a crooked manner, bringing the audience into character’s suffering of disorientation and disillusionment.
According to Chair of the Fine Arts Division and Director of The Seagull” Cathy Thomas-Grant the plot surrounds themes that human beings face in their day-to-day lives. The plot much like other Chekov works does not contain a specific storyline.
“It shows the relationships between mothers and sons fathers and daughters and addresses the longing for something you can never have and never can be Thomas-Grant said. It shows the incongruity that we as human beings have between what is reality and what we are delusional about. There are so many themes it’s hard to narrow it down.”
The reality that the characters face in their on-stage lives is an experience that is both uncomfortable and revealing for the student actors. Senior Drew Allen who takes on the leading role of the playwright Konstantin describes his personification of the character as dark with a hint of comedy.
“It’s very reflective of what is real. There are things in this play that everyone recognizes in their own lives – unrequited love smashed dreams failure and unhappy marriage Allen said. For me the character is a challenge and is very emotionally taxing. There are comedic moments but Konstantin is a driving force as far as emotional turmoil is concerned.”
Beyond the emotional baggage of the characters junior Noelle Marion who portrays the leading female role of the aspiring actress Nina said the challenges of preparing for her complex personality doubled as an opportunity to fine tune her craft.
“It’s probably the most difficult piece of material I’ve had to work on but we have an incredible cast and director” Marion said. “Whatever I bring to Nina becomes her. It was a challenge because she starts out as an innocent girl. In the second act she has completely transformed which was really a huge undertaking for me as an actress but was also a lot of fun.”
Along with the transformations and intricate personalities the characters embody the substance of the story itself goes a step beyond past Pepperdine productions._
“It’s not all bright and cheery it’s really dark – it’s not ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie'” said junior Allegra Edwards who takes on the role of the actress Irina. “There has been a lot of freedom to explore. There is a need to do the work justice and tell the story the right way. Not one of the characters gets what they want.”
The feeling of depravity and desperation is an aspect of Chekov’s work that junior Ken Korpi said he attempts to exemplify through his portrayal of the novelist Trigorin.
“Chekov is very difficult. It’s one of those things that once you research and attempt to understand it it becomes much more fulfilling than shows that are more surface-level entertaining Korpi said. I read the play four times before I auditioned and I am still trying to get a grasp on it. But things have been falling into place very naturally.”
With all the intricacies and difficulties that come from exploring human personalities Thomas-Grant said the production is a perfect “meal” for a collegiate audience.
“It’s a two-hour compacted drama which I think is perfect for a university audience Thomas-Grant said. I think it’s a perfect piece of meat for our kids to feast on – if it was any bigger I would be freaking out.”
Tickets are available for $15 to the general public $10 for students and $12 for faculty and staff. Call 310-506-4522 to reserve a seat.