The Seagull

The Theatre and Performance program presents Anton Chekov’s The Seagull directed by Matt White who gives a Canadian contemporary re-contextualization to this late 19th century tragi-comedy. It's a story that exposes the absurdity of a world where grown-ups behave like children, and the next generation grows up having to find their own way.

Growing up is already hard enough, but try having a mother who is a self-absorbed actress and is dating an effortlessly successful writer, who then charms your own girlfriend into falling in love with him. This is the unfortunate reality of Konstantin, a young artist struggling to find his place in a world where everyone is living big lives, filled with big emotions, and big dreams. 

In The Seagull, characters speak of love and art the way people today speak about climate change. Passionately. On the razor’s edge. And it is all very funny. Chekhov insisted the play is a comedy and director Matt White is focused on mining the text for as much comic gold as the company can find.

Filled with human idiosyncrasies that feel just as true and accurate today as they did over 100 years ago, The Seagull explores the desperate measures people will go to for love, for acceptance, and for survival. In The Seagull, there are no pills to take to make life worth living. You simply keep going. Or you don’t.

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Doors will open 30 minutes prior to each performance, with an engagement space in which audience members can explore. The program is also piloting a descriptive audio performance for the visually impaired, which will be integrated into the November 14 performances.

Two matinee performances on November 13 & 14 at 12 p.m.