Seagull soars at The Court

Seagull soars at The Court
“Anton Chekhov is second only to Shakespeare”, says Elric Hooper, director of The Court Theatre’s production of THE SEAGULL, opening on May 15th.

“Before THE SEAGULL, Chekhov was known mostly as a successful short-story writer who dabbled in playwriting,” says Hooper. “THE SEAGULL was the first of what are commonly referred to as his ‘four great plays’; the plays that sustain his stature in modern theatre”.

The Court Theatre’s production is a lauded translation by Tom Stoppard, an acclaimed playwright in his own right. “Stoppard’s translation captures the wit and humanity of Chekhov brilliantly,” says Hooper, “the play has a champagne lightness but loses none of its pathos”.

In THE SEAGULL a successful actress spends a holiday on her brother’s country estate with her son, an aspiring writer, lover and her friends. Chekhov follows their lives as passions and dreams entwine in a world of beauty, cruelty and humanity.

In the real world, THE SEAGULL experienced a similar mixture of agony and ecstasy as the story it portrays The play was poorly received at its 1896 St. Petersburg premiere, a blow which almost drove Chekhov from playwriting altogether. It wasn’t until a triumphant production at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1898 directed by Constantin Stanislavski that Chekhov’s reputation as a master dramatist was fully established.

“Chekhov acknowledges the absurdity of human behaviour, which is why he always called THE SEAGULL ‘a comedy’,” says Hooper. “His medical training taught him to be compassionate but detached: Chekhov loved humanity but also saw its frailties. Consequently his characters are richly-drawn, sympathetic and universally recognisable.”

Hooper hails his cast as “an ensemble of remarkable quality”. Veteran SHORTLAND STREET actor Owen Black returns to The Court after more than ten years, alongside a cast including Rima Te Wiata, Susan Curnow and Geoffrey Heath. “There are no weak links in the production – every character is brilliantly realised,” says Hooper.

It has been 114 years since THE SEAGULL was first staged in Russia, and 28 years since it was last staged at The Court. Hooper believes that “the layers and details in the script means that each generation can see itself uniquely reflected in this masterpiece.”

THE SEAGULL by Anton Chekhov, translated by Tom Stoppard
Directed by: Elric Hooper
Venue: Court One, The Court Theatre, Christchurch
Cast: Will Alexander, Owen Black, Susan Curnow, Emma Cusdin, Claire Dougan, Elsie Edgerton-Till,
Phil Grieve, Geoffrey Heath, Martin Howells, Jonathan Martin, Jon Pheloung and Rima Te Wiata
Production Dates: 15 May – 12 June 2010
Performances: 6pm Monday / Thursday; 7:30pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (no show Sundays). 2pm matinee Saturday 22 May
Tickets: Adults $45, Senior Citizens $38, Tertiary Students $26, School Children $15, Group discount (20+) $36, Matinee $29 (22 May only)
Bookings: The Court Theatre, 20 Worcester Boulevard; 963 0870 or www.courttheatre.org.nz

OTHER INFORMATION
• Owen Black (and fellow Shortland Street alumnus Will Hall) recently completed filming an independent feature film NETHERWOOD, in North Canterbury. Owen trained at Unitec with fellow cast member Claire Dougan; this is their first professional production together.
• Cast members Elsie Edgerton-Till and Martin Howells have been performing in the comedy THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES at The Court Theatre in the evenings whilst rehearsing THE SEAGULL during the day.
• Geoffrey Heath and Susan Curnow both appeared in the 1982 production of THE SEAGULL at The Court – Susan Curnow played the daughter of the character she now portrays.

ENDS

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