The Seagull

Barbican Theatre

4.9/5 based on 7 reviews (read reviews)

Opens: Wednesday, 26 February 2025 -
Booking until: Saturday, 5 April 2025

Couples (86%) Theatregoers (100%) i

The Seagull description

Lovers of Anton Chekhov’s work adore this story exploring the themes of tragedy, love, obsession, jealousy and regret. This time around his classic play, the Seagull, stars TV, movie and stage legend Cate Blanchett along with respected UK actor Tom Burke.

This is a new adaptation marking the reunion of Blanchett and Burke, who have been busy filming Steven Soderbergh’s latest movie Black Bag together. The Seagull is adapted by Duncan Macmillan (People Places & Things) and Thomas Ostermeier (An Enemy of the People), presented by Wessex Grove in association with the Barbican, and is also directed by Ostermeier.

A creative match made in heaven

Apparently Thomas Ostermeier has known and admired Blanchett for many years. He is thrilled to be involved in their first artistic collaboration describing her as a “once-in-a-generation actress in one of the greatest theatrical roles of Arkadina.” He’s also delighted to be creating a new artistic relationship with Tom Burke, who plays Trigorin.

What happens when ambition, vanity, desire and disappointment collide

The play, which explores themes of ambition, vanity, disappointment and desire, is powerful stuff, just as influential as it was when written in 1895 and the first of the playwright’s four major plays.

The plot goes like this. A young woman is desperate for fame, keen to escape the humdrum of everyday ordinary life. A young man is dreaming of the woman he is obsessed with. A successful writer doesn't understand why he doesn't feel fulfilled by his achievements. And an actress wants time to stand still. When they collide in a posh country house, sparks fly. Ultimately their dreams are ruined, hopes smashed and hearts broken. And finally, when it becomes obvious there's nowhere else to turn, they attack each other.

This time around The Seagull is produced by Wessex Grove, the same team behind Thomas Ostermeier’s 2024 production of An Enemy of the People starring Matt Smith. It’s Ostermeier's new production of the play but it is familiar territory for Blanchett, who appeared in a 1997 production of The Seagull as Nina, with the Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney, directed by Neil Armfield. It marks the actor’s first time on stage at the Barbican since 2012, when she appeared at the venue in Big and Small.