Last year, the Czech company Kretakor brought an almost 4 hour minimalist production of this Chekhov classic to the International Festival. This production by Act Provocateur International is perfect for those who couldnt fathom sitting through the dual-intermission version of this disillusioning tale of young actress as she finds success at the expense of her innocence.
While there is nothing particularly astounding about this production, there is also nothing especially wrong with it. The portrayals of these theatrically celebrated characters are decent and the pace makes it easy to stay involved.
The clever editing of the play should not go unnoticed. While the original story has a vast array of characters, here they are narrowed down to only four. The presence of these cut characters will be missed by Chekhov fans, but your average theatre-goer will not even notice. Overall, The Seagull is the perfect 11am show.