"The Seagull" - by Anton Chekhov and adapted by Tom Stoppard - Quannapowitt Players (Reading, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of Anton Chekhov's "THE SEAGULL" as adapted by Tom Stoppard, presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through January 31, 2026. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“I catch an idea in every sentence of yours or of my own, and hasten to lock all these treasures in my literary store-room, thinking that some day they may be useful to me…I hear my desk calling, and have to go back to it and begin to write, write, write, once more. And so it goes for everlasting."
- ("Trigorin") / Anton Chekhov as adapted by Tom Stoppard
The Quannapowitt Players
Presents Anton Chekhov's
"THE SEAGULL"
Written by Anton Chekhov
Adapted by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Matthew Lundergan
Cast Includes: Sara Jones as “Irina Arkadina,” Michael Mazzone as “Konstantin,” Ken Tucci as “Sorin,” Becki Greene as “Nina,” Jon Nuquist as “Shamraev,” Sarah Logsdon as “Polina,” Morgan Flynn as “Masha,” Ted Silva as “Trigorin,” Casey Preston as “Dorn,” Alex Deroo as “Medenko,” Nathan Prosperi as “Yakov,” Laura Liberge as “Cook/Understudy.”
Additional Creative Team:
Stage Manager - Catharine Davis; Set Design - Matthew Lundergan; Lighting Design - Michael McTeague; Sound Design - Nathan Mabanglo-Burgett; Hair & Makeup Design - Karen Burum; Photography - Jon Sachs; Set Technical Director - Jay Stone.
Performances:
January 16, 2026 through January 31, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS, 55 Hopkins Street, Reading, MA. 01867-3917
TICKETS:
Contact QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS at # 781-942-2212 or email at boxoffice@qptheater.com www.qptheater.com
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
Now playing in Reading, The Quannapowitt Players (QP) takes flight into the new year with "THE SEAGULL," a play written in Russian by Anton Chekhov and adapted into English by renowned playwright Tom Stoppard.
Written in 1895 and first produced in 1896, "THE SEAGULL" is probably Chekhov’s most admired work, focusing on various philosophical, romantic and artistic entanglements between several deeply flawed (“flawed” as in “human”) characters.
Originally written in four acts, and now impressively staged by Quannapowitt Players' director Matthew Lundergan, the QP's staging of the Stoppard adaptation uses only two acts.
Audience members should be made aware that there is mention of suicide throughout the story and there is a gun shot during the show’s latter half.
"THE SEAGULL" debuted in 1896 in Petersburg and was reportedly not received well to the point where it was booed by the audience and forcing Chekhov to hide backstage for the last two acts.
Later, the story seemed to catch on, introducing many to Chekhov’s brilliant approach when it came to “subtext” and has since become a play staged by theatre companies all over the world still today.
In fact, the Moscow Art Theatre to this day continues to display an image of a seagull as its emblem to commemorate the contribution of Chekhov.
By 1912 "THE SEAGULL" was performed in English making its Broadway premiere in 1916.
(Photo: Ken Tucci as “Sorin,” Becki Greene as “Nina” and Michael Mazzone as “Konstantin” in a scene from Anton Chekhov's "THE SEAGULL" as adapted by Tom Stoppard, presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through January 31, 2026. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
While other previous English translations failed or at least faltered, Tom Stoppard’s 1997 adaptation is considered to be most “in tune” with the intent of Chekhov as opposed to trying a verbal translation that may ultimately fall short of that intent.
When the play first made its debut, it was presented as a tragedy.
In fact, when I first read "THE SEAGULL" in college, the translation I read was so dark and depressing there was little in it that held my interest.
However, according to various sources, Chekhov actually intended "THE SEAGULL" to be a comedy and, with the 1997 Stoppard translation, while the Chekhovian humor is rather sparse and dry (like vodka), it has at least been retained.
The play is also equipped with a humorous “intertextual relationship” (which I believe is still perfectly legal in Massachusetts – at least for now) with references to Shakespeare as characters quote lines from some of his works including “Hamlet” and particularly the use of the “play-within-a-play.”
As the Quannapowitt Players' "SEAGULL" story unfolds - we are at the country estate of Sorin (Ken Tucci), a retired senior civil servant in deteriorating health.
Sorin’s sister, actress Irina Arkadina (Sara Jones), is visiting the estate with her lover, famed novelist Boris Trigorin (Ted Silva), along for the vacation.
(Photo: Becki Greene as “Nina” in a scene from Anton Chekhov's "THE SEAGULL" as adapted by Tom Stoppard, presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through January 31, 2026. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
The play opens upon an outdoor stage where family and friends have gathered to support an ambitious new play written and directed by Irina's son, Konstantin (Michael Mazzone) and starring Nina (Becki Greene), a young neighboring girl who wants to pursue acting.
Instead of being supportive of her son, Irina mocks the play, increasing Konstantin’s self-loathing and his anguish at not having the support of the woman that bore him.
While others around her appear to be concerned for her son, Irina appears far too self-absorbed to be bothered. Meanwhile, the only person who actually sees potential in Konstantin’s work is family friend and physician Dorn (Casey Preston).
Other subplots (which don't really get explored at great length, perhaps thankfully as this would be a five hour show and a two hour review) include impoverished schoolteacher Medenko (Alex Deroo) who is wooing Masha (Morgan Flynn), the daughter of the estate's steward Shamrayev (Jon Nuquist) and his wife Polina (Sarah Logsdon).
Among Chekhov’s romantic entanglements, Masha is in love with Konstantin…who is in love with Nina… who is in love with Trigorin…who is with Irina…yada-yada-yada.
A reminder that they did not have cable or streaming services in 1895 so, outside of village gossip, this was probably as close as the culture came to the concept of “soap operas.”
(Photo: Sara Jones as “Irina Arkadina” with Ted Silva as “Trigorin” in a scene from Anton Chekhov's "THE SEAGULL" as adapted by Tom Stoppard, presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through January 31, 2026. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
So, where does the actual "SEAGULL" come in?
Good question (and you asked that just at the right time).
After a fierce argument, a distraught Konstantin arrives to give Nina, burned by her infatuation with Trigorin, the "gift" of a seagull that he has shot and killed.
Instead of being flattered, Nina is horrified by Konstantin’s symbolic “present.”
Both Becki Greene and Michael Mazzone expertly handle the contrasting relationship between Nina and Konstantin, who view their respective worlds through very different lenses, similarly witnessed in the scenes with the equally impressive performances by actors Sara Jones as Irina and Ted Silva as Trigorin.
More than a symbol, with "THE SEAGULL" Chekhov became an early pioneering playwright by advancing substantive roles for women in his writing of a story in which the women took center stage as fully rounded characters and not mere background fodder for their male counterparts.
Symbolically, through the demise of an actual seagull (a bird, by the way, which - rumor has it - would not even be in the vicinity of where this story takes place), one of the women in the play will choose to live beyond her confines.
She will choose to “spread her wings,” fly away, and live her life on her own terms and without leaning toward a man to know her true worth.
The collective Quannapowitt Players' performances are all quite impressive, with several actors well executing the multitude of lengthy monologues that permeate the finely tuned production.
In addition, the imaginative QP set will take many by surprise – just make sure not to come back late from intermission for a remarkable set change that begins the show’s second act.
(Photo: The CAST of Anton Chekhov's "THE SEAGULL" as adapted by Tom Stoppard, presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through January 31, 2026. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
"THE SEAGULL" continues from Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. through January 31st, 2026 and folks should catch this bird before it takes flight.
Coming up next at Quannapowitt Players will be Bruce Graham's "SOMETHING INTANGIBLE" beginning March 20th, 2026.
For tickets and information, contact the Quannapowitt Players at # 781-942-2212 or email boxoffice@qptheater.com
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours, 30 minutes with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Anton Chekhov’s "THE SEAGULL" is a "comedy of a man who successfully kills himself despite all the pleasures of life" is a story of adaptation and survival, of man vs. nature, as he navigates through his age, success and relationships.
Life is comical as well as poignant!
Chekhov’s "THE SEAGULL" has been translated from Russian by Tom Stoppard, a master wordsmith, playwright and screen writer in his own right.
ABOUT THE QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS
THE QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS has provided quality community theater for over 85 years in a converted historic 1853 Little Red School House in the town of Reading, Massachusetts. The delightful black-box performance space, with intimate seating for 150 patrons, has full handicap accessibility and parking.
55 Hopkins Street
Reading, MA. 01867-3917
# 781-942-2212
