Sick Seagull

Oh what disappointment!

Babagenouche and I were extremely excited to the Royal Shakespeare Companies production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull last night. Our excitement was heightened by the fact that Sir Ian McKellan (Gandalf himself!) was in it, it was directed by Trevor Nunn (a director of apparently high repute) and it has gotten good reviews.

I tell you one thing. The reviews are lies.

This was one of the most excruciating nights of theatre I have ever sat through. I confess that I don't know much about Chekov but the usual complaint is that his plays are about people sitting around whining about nothing. I didn't know what The Seagull was about having never read it or seen it before and, after seeing it I can conclude only one thing. It is a terribly written play about people sitting around whining about nothing.

OH! I can hear all the retorts now! It's a masterpiece! It's one of the greatest works of art ever! Genius! You just don't understand the subtle subtext! The gigantic monumental shifts that happen below the surface of the world.

Perhaps. I was looking for them. Eagerly anticipating skill of this world reknowned theatre company to bring them forth. I was holding out for the second act to pull the play together. But alas...the second act completely unravelled. What in the hell is WRONG with these people? Boring!

Anyway, in my defence, I have seen Chekhov done and done well. I've only seen shorts of Chekhov done by Soul Pepper Theatre in Toronto and, believe me, it was way better. Babagenouche has also seen Uncle Vanya done by Soulpepper and loved it. She's also worked with the company and so I have insight into how they work...this just ain't it.

Here's how Chekhov SHOULD be done if it is too succeed (if I may be so bold). This is based on the work I have seen at Soul Pepper. The characters should be on the brink of breakdown, their emotions so overwrought, so near the breaking point, so tragic and comic in their desperation that every little thing they do should set them off and into hysterics. Then it's funny my friends. This production was supposed to be a comedy? I don't think so.

How ironic that they sit and talk about what makes bad art or theatre while being involved in the exact same process. Ugh! It was painful I tell you painful!

If you want to see Chekhov done well go see Soulpepper in Toronto. They're brilliant.

My final quibble is with the play itself. I think it's crap. In the first act I was annoyed that the actors weren't playing the aforementioned emotions. In the second act I was ready to scream in exasperation at the play itself. It makes no sense I tell you.

Maybe if it were done right it would work but I think the challenge of staging this would be to overcome the inherent weakness of the script itself. Supposedly The Cherry Orchard is a later piece by Chekhov and is his true masterpiece while The Seagull is an earlier effort and Chekhov hasn't quite got it right yet. Hopefully this is the case.

As you can tell from my venting...I hated this play. This seems to be the reaction Chekhov inspires in many. On the other side people seem to absolutely love him.

There you have it... that's Chekhov I suppose.

On an related note....

It occurred to me that I've seen a cross section of theatre here over the last year...from small fringe theatre, to new works, to established pieces, to the big shows and I honestly have to say that the theatre I saw on average in Toronto was better. There were far less disappointments and far more gems. It could be fluke but that's my experience. The only shows I've seen that were really good were:

1. A Moon for the Misbegotten - Eugene O'neil - with our good friend Kevin Spacey
2. Dying For It - by Nikolai Erdman - Very Chekhovian and brilliant! The way Chekhov should be played but most often isn't.
3. Avenue Q - Big West End puppet show. Brilliant Satire. Grew from a fringe show
in New York.
4. Love's Labours Lost at The Globe

Whew. Glad I got all that off my chest.