by Anton Chekhov
in a version by Martin Crimp
‘Young girl lives on shore of lake since childhood – like you. Loves the lake – like the seagull. Is happy and free – like the seagull. Then one day a man turns up, sees her, and mindlessly destroys her.’
This pared-down version by Martin Crimp of Chekhov’s first great play lays bare its comedy and its cruelty. Whether it’s love, sex, fame, or simply a trip into town, each character is denied the thing they most crave.
The Seagull is staged by the same team that created the NT's acclaimed and radical Three Sisters in 2003.