THE SEAGULL

If you enjoy Anton Chekhov’s classic plays, or are a fan of TV stars James Tupper or Sasha Alexander, (who has a lovely profile and an absolutely perfect manicure,) or would like to discover a few young actors who might be stars of the future, and all in an easy West Los Angeles theatre, The Seagull, which is a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre, is the presentation for you.

I meet two of those conditions—I enjoy being able to look back at successful actors and know that I saw them up-close in their infancy in the biz, and I’m a big fan of Tupper’s. (If you missed it last week, here’s the link to our recent convo: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/theatre-convo-with-james-tupper-about-his-new-yet-old-play-the-seagull.)

I had a wonderful time chatting with James for a long time over the phone; seeing this play, not as much.

Actually, my friend Laura speaks for both of us when she succinctly says, “The actors are really good, Chekhov sucks.” So there you have it.

But I do know one person who likes the playwright’s work. Well, actually, two—one is a pal, (out of the forty or so people I’ve asked about Chekhov,) and one is someone I was introduced to in the lobby before the show last week-end. She was effusive about Chekhov, and tried to make me feel like a moron for not being a fan. (No worries there, though—she did not wear me down; you know I’m much stronger than that!)

I’ve actually seen his work only once before professionally—at the Mark Taper Forum sixteen years ago— and, of course, many a time in High School acting classes. (Trust me–you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Chekhov performed with Brooklyn accents!!!)

Chekhov himself declared The Seagull to be a comedy. But it was a bust as such in 1896. Not until Stanislavski, (who later wrote An Actor Prepares, an acting bible,) directed a later version in 1898 as a drama did it become the classic that it is considered to be. So, even though this current production has a bit of charm and a few chuckles, I agree with Stanislavski—this is definitely not a comedy. In the play, James Tupper’s writer character, Trogorin, says, “I’m often in a haze where it is that I don’t even understand what I’m writing.” I’d bet that was how Chekhov himself felt. (And it’s a true sentiment; it happens to me all the time, perhaps even with this very review!)

The good news is that for people who want to see an old-school version of a primetime soap opera, this play is that. (Think Desperate Housewives, the Prequel; I never saw that TV show, but you get my drift.) Even with just a dozen people in the cast, there are sooo many love entanglements that you have to stay on your toes to keep them all straight. And if you’re a weirdo who enjoys seeing strangers, especially a famous duo, make-out right in front of you, in a lot of light, make sure to sit on the left side facing the stage; you’ll be happy in the second act. That scene actually reminded me of my club days. Just a grown-up version of them.

One aspect of this show that I enjoyed is that it’s entirely an ensemble piece. I wouldn’t label any of the actors as the “star.” I expect that each one will be a favorite of one audience member or another.

Of course, handsome James Tupper, as Trogorin, is my favorite. (Have you met me?!) He’s just so easy on stage, and possesses a lovely stage presence. And I also admired something small that Brianna Bryan, who plays Masha, does—she hums for just a second, and her voice is so beautiful that I would have loved to hear her do more.

Most people I talked to that night mentioned how good up-and-comer Cece Kelly, who plays normal-named Nina, is, an assessment with which I agree. And I could not be more jealous of her absolutely perfect actress name!

Laura especially liked young Matthew Hartley, who plays I have no idea what. Actually, most of the time, I had no idea who anyone is to each other or what was going on. After watching the brief play-within-a-play in Act I, Trogorin says, “I didn’t understand a word of it. But I enjoyed it.” And that’s how I feel about The Seagull.

So, if you see it, I heavily suggest you research the action before you go. I did so afterwards, (as usual,) and I feel that it would have helped me immensely to know the synopsis beforehand this time. The characters all have heavy—and multiple—Russian names, on top of which they’re often called by something else. And, even though talking directly to each other, they regularly use the entire super-long name, such as Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev. Not fun to try to make sense of for the audience.  The attire of this production is modern; I wish they had modernized the characters’ names, as well, so I could have kept track of them all.

Getting back to the costumes, I liked much of the modern, yet semi-ambiguous wardrobe, but I especially adored all of Masha’s black and lace-centric attire. It’s a cross between what I rocked in my clubbing days and what I wear now. (What does that say about me?) But, because of it, the whole time I thought her character was a hooker, (Laura straightened me out that the girl was just a drug addict,) and I had no idea she was simply the daughter of the home’s caretakers! At one point, Masha explains her all-black outfits as being because she’s “in mourning” for her life, but I think they’re due to the fact that she’s just the most stylish gal around those parts. I love a girl who can dress. Of course.

I adored the color palette of the easy, simple set. But there appeared to be an inexplicable UFO on the side of the makeshift play-within-a-play stage! (If you know what that item is, I beg of you to let us in on it in the Comments below!) [Note: It’s on the bottom middle left in the big pic at the top of this review.]

Now that I’m aware of The Seagull, I’d love to see what spectacularly innovative choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne could do with this script. He’d probably have Adam Cooper play the late seagull!

On a very side note, I’m actually glad now that I had to miss the opening night of this presentation, (even though that meant that I, sadly, also missed the party,) because the night I went had an extra unexpected feature that gave me a wonderful reminder of one of my favorite childhood memories. What happened was that just three minutes into the second half of the show, it began pouring like the world was coming to an end! I didn’t realize that the Odyssey was only one level tall, so the sound of the rain on the roof was deafening. And very scary. And somewhat amusing in that setting. But the actors never flinched. Nor ad-libbed about the situation. Nor started talking louder, even though there was some nervous chuckling among the audience. So, big props to them.

Now this is what it reminded me of: When I was very little, and spent part of our summers in Rhode Island, my family and I were seeing a film in a little ramshackle movie house by the beach. And then, just as an important rainy scene was being featured, the real rain started pounding on the roof. I was so young that I thought the movie just had fabulous realistic sound! Until it kept going into the next water-less scene.  I loved having that feeling again during The Seagull. (I hope you didn’t mind this short story—Chekhov may have rubbed-off on me with my telling this long-winded and what’s-the point-of-it tale.)

The Seagull running through February 23, 2025
Odyssey Theatre—a visiting production
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. WLA
323-960-7735  www.theseagull-la.com