When a wealthy actress named Irina Arkadina pays a visit to her brother’s dilapidated estate in a sleepy hamlet, unfulfilled dreams and desires of all its residents are sharply exposed. Nina is a young girl in the estate who finds herself enamored with Arkadina’s lover Trigorin. She hopes to move to Moscow and become an actress. Arkadina’s son Konstantin is trying to become a playwright and attempts to take his own life when no one acknowledges his talent. Each of the characters in the play must navigate a maze of social blockades and relationships as they attempt to fulfill their aspirations.

Anya Reiss’ adaptation of Chekhov’s original masterpiece has been widely regarded as one of the best English versions of the play. She is amongst the youngest writers to have a play staged at London’s Royal Court Theatre. This production features Emilia Clarke, the immensely famous Game of Thrones star who has also acted in multiple blockbuster films such as Me Before You and Solo: A Star Wars Story. The cast is led by the celebrated Olivier Award-winning director Jamie Lloyd, who is well-known for his work on Harold Pinter plays.

Good For

Fans of Emilia Clarke | Lovers of Chekhov’s Plays | Adult Audiences

Reviews

"Anya Reiss's radical version is a teenage riot"

– The Guardian