The Magdalene Players October 2024 production is Anton Chekhov's, The Seagull, translated by Christopher Hampton.
"I know now, Kostya, I understand that in our work - doesn't matter whether it's acting or writing - what's important isn't fame or glamour, none of the things I used to dream about, it's the ability to endure."
The Seagull is one of the great plays about writing. It superbly captures the struggle for new forms, the frustrations and fulfilments of putting words on a page. Chekhov, in his first major play, staged a vital argument about the theatre which still resonates today.
Director: Simon Brumfit
Assistant Director: Arabella Gordan
Producer: Miriam Nice.
Monday 3rd June 2024 at 8pm
Auditions:
Thursday 6th June 2024 at 8pm
Everyone is welcome to attend the read through and auditions.
Both the read through and the auditions take place at the St Mary Magdalene Hall on Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common.
Production dates:
7:30pm Thursday 17th - 19th October 2024
Doors open at 7pm
Cast:
Irina - Karen Willemsen
Konstantin Gavrilovich - Maggie Dickson
Pyotr - Anouska Barnes
Nina - Cate Johannessen
Ilya - Humphrey Waterhouse
Polina - Liz O'Donovan
Mariya - Hannah Cory
Boris - Rob Scheele
Yevgeny - Mark McCahill
Semyon - Lukas Rimkus
Yakov - Arabella Gordan
NODA Review:
By Des Wilby (Regional Representative, NODA London District)
Saturday October 19th 2024
It was a pleasure to have visited with Magdalene Players and welcome the society as NODA London’s most recent joining society. Thanks to Guy Johnson (Chairman) and Simon Brumfit (Director) for the warm welcome on my arrival – it was a pleasure to have chatted before Act 1 and then again during the interval.
The Seagull is the first of Chekhov’s four major plays and was first performed in 1896. It revolves around the lives of ten diverse characters as they strive for love, artistic integrity and happiness. Even though it is considered to be one of his comic masterpieces, The Seagull tends to highlight the tragedy within life’s struggles.
Stuck together in a dizzyingly hot country estate, tensions boil over between the friends and family of renowned actress Irina Arkadina as they discuss their failed ambitions and doomed desires for love. I was intrigued to see how Magdalene Players would handle such an intense, emotional and verbose production…
Simon Brumfit (Director), Arabella Gordon (Assistant Director) and Miriam Nice (Producer) are first to be congratulated for delivering such an excellent production. There is a danger that Chekhov’s prose can become dry and unclear if not delivered with feeling, emotion and, where appropriate, with humour. I found each cast member to be credible without overacting. The cast had been carefully selected and well-rehearsed which resulted in all lines being delivered with faultless precision. Staging this drama in-the-round proved to be an excellent decision and provided an intimate atmosphere. Overall, I found the whole production to be highly polished, touching in parts, amusing in others and most absorbing.
While the script provides some actors more of a chance to shine than others, there wasn’t a ‘weak link’ to be seen. Each character, no matter how small, had just enough nuance to feel believable. The fact that there wasn’t a prompt available, should it be needed, was highly commendable.
Karen Willemsen gave a standout performance as Irina Arkadina, the ageing Russian actress who’s theatrical vanity, stinginess and obsession with remaining youthful made her a truly selfish woman. Karen ensured that Arkadina’s delusions were not only clear to see but also charmingly absurd. The lack of empathy, and any meaningful relationship with her son, Konstantin, was both poignant and sad to witness. Karen’s commitment to this role was evident throughout the production and she delivered a faultless performance laced with humour and emotion.
Maggie Dickinson was equally superb in her portrayal of Konstantin, Irina’s tormented son who constantly sought his mother’s love and approval but was invariably rebuffed. This pairing was extremely emotive, contrasting moments of devotion, love and heart-wrenching conflict. Maggie brought out the fragility, together with an almost child-like quality, within Konstantin as he struggled to overcome the many conflicts and doubts experienced.
Anouska Barnes gave an excellent performance as Pyotr, Irena’s brother, providing much-needed comic relief to ease heightening tensions. Anouska clearly developed this character who, in spite of his age and declining health, was a kind, funny old man whose wistfulness never turns to resentment. A formidable role to undertake on your return to the stage after such a lengthy break!
Cate Johannessen was magnificent as Nina and brought a remarkable sensitivity to the role of this naive young lady whose starstruck nature drove her to be part of the theatrical world. Cate charmed the audience throughout her performance and ensured Nina’s optimism and wide-eyed interest provided real moments of hope. She also brought out the pain and suffering experienced at having been abandoned by her lover. The death of her baby, together with Nina’s ultimate confusion and mental fragility, were most touching and believable.
Humphrey Waterhouse added much humour to the production in his ingratiating performance as Ilya, a man clearly obsessed with Arkadina's fame and fortune. Liz O’Donovan cast a quietly forlorn figure as the weary Polina and brought out the sense of frustration and unrequited love for Yevgeny. Rob Scheele accurately exposed the conceit and aloofness of Boris, a writer whose sensitive disposition hid a really quite cruel side. Hannah Cory eloquently captured sharp intelligence and lovesick sadness in Mariya bringing out a strong sense of self-pity and a unfulfilled life. Mark McCahill was supremely likeable as Yevgeny and really brought the local doctor’s sympathetic qualities to this production. Lukas Rimkus gave a strong performance as Semyon, a poor local school teacher. Lukas certainly brought out the boring qualities in this character. Not busy enough with her responsibilities of Assistant Director, Arabella Gordon also took to the stage as Yakov, a hired workman who assisted Ilya in running the country estate.
Arabella Gordon (Stage Manager) ensured that everybody, and everything, was in the right place at the right time. Members of Magdalene Players were responsible for Set Design and Construction. Carolyn Mitchell-Innes gathered together an impressive array of period looking props which certainly added to the visual impression onstage and to the overall production. Tianqi Yang and Jane Cooper combined to gather a varied selection of suitable outfits. I’m certain they’d spent much time, and effort, ensuring the cast was appropriately dressed for the time period and respective social standing. Bernard Godwin (Lighting), Simon Brumfit and Rob Clark (Sound Design) together with Guy Johnson (Sound Operator) ran the technical side for this production. Everything was handled well resulting in no distractions to mention.
The quality programme included much information for the audience to enjoy reading. There were some lovely cast photographs and biogs together with the Director’s welcome and a short summary regarding Anton Chekov himself.
Congratulations once again to everyone at Magdalene Players, and those directly involved here, for this really quite excellent production of The Seagull. I look forward to returning in 2025 and enjoying future quality shows.