Chekhov purchased the Melikhovo farm in 1892 and ordered a lodge built in the middle of a cherry orchard. The lodge had three rooms, one … See more

The English title for the play The Seagull is a potentially misleading translation of the title from its original Russian. Although the words "gull" and "seagull" are often used interchangeably in English, the text of the play makes no mention of the sea and is set on an estate … See more

Act I
Pyotr Sorin is a retired senior civil servant in failing health at his country estate. His sister, actress Irina … See more

It has been remarked that the play was "a spectacle of waste" (such as at the beginning of the play when Medvedenko asks Masha why she always wears black, she answers … See more

• Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina – an actress, married surname Trepleva
• Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev – Irina's son, a young man See more

Premiere in St. Petersburg
The first night of The Seagull on 17 October 1896 at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in Petersburg was … See more

The Seagull was first translated into English for a performance at the Royalty Theatre, Glasgow, in November 1909. Since that time, there have been numerous … See more