This week on the Main Stage, University of Oxford student company Lighthouse Productions presents Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. Marking the 130th anniversary of the celebrated play, the company reimagines Chekhov’s classic drama with a live score, puppetry and original bird-inspired choreography. 

Often regarded as the first modern drama, The Seagull gains new wings in Olivier Award-winner Simon Stephens’English-language translation. Lighthouse Productions brings Stephens’ adaptation to life through a visually striking new production that explores the play’s enduring relevance for contemporary audiences.  

At the helm of the production is student director Alys Young. On staging it at The Playhouse, she said: 

“Although October marks 130 years since the play’s first performance, The Seagull feels more modern than ever. The aspiring playwright Konstantin could easily be a modern-day emerging artist struggling for creative freedom against the backdrop of a rise in technology and cuts in arts funding. This production therefore presents Konstantin as a genuine artist in the 21st century, facing systematic setbacks in a world which is increasingly hostile towards art.”

This darkly comic masterpiece examines the complex romantic and dramatic tensions between four characters: the aspiring actress Nina, the fading actress Irina, the symbolist playwright Konstantin, and the obsessive-compulsive writer Boris. When Irina visits her brother Sorin's isolated estate, unfulfilled ambitions are thrown into sharp relief.

When asked about what makes this production of The Seagull unique, Young replied:

“The Seagull is written so that the action happens offstage. Yet, this production seeks to bring the subtext onstage for the first time. With a glass-box set design by Max Antoniou, the audience are given unrestricted access to Chekhov’s characters. This is a version of The Seagull in which nothing is hidden; the ugly parts of fame and the theatre industry can no longer hide behind the curtain. 

That being said, Chekhov did describe this play as a comedy - a fact which many directors can overlook. In rehearsals, we are constantly trying to bring out the comedy, and it is laugh-out-loud funny! Chekhov is a masterclass in light and shade. You need both to get the full effect.” 

These student actors have learned from the best: back in June, the company invited the former Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, Jude Kelly CBE, for an acting workshop. Having previously directed The Seagull starring Sir Ian McKellen, the company received world class teaching in areas of performance and text and are now ready to take on The Playhouse stage.

Student actor Ediz Atilla Ozer, who plays the fiery estate manager Leo Shamrayev, said:

“The rehearsal process has been really rewarding and enjoyable. It has been a huge honour to work with some incredible actors who interpret these roles in new and exciting ways”. 

The Seagull will mark the first student Main Stage production of the new academic term. Lighthouse Productions is a student production company dedicated to exploring multimedia methods of storytelling. Following previous “outstanding”(The Oxford Blue) productions, blending physical theatre, animations, and emotionally raw characterisation, Lighthouse Productions now take to the Playhouse stage for the very first time, with another dramatic hit.