Directed by Sally Cookson, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s devised play The Three Seagulls pushes the envelope with its superb acting and dissection of theatre. Though the actors dip into slightly self-indulgent diatribes on the nature of their craft, which occasionally distract from their talent, stand-out performances from certain members of the company help to balance out random segues into dance, philosophical speeches and lip-syncing. In particular, Tessa Wong and Dumile Sibanda are the highlights of the show, and Wong’s speech as Irena Arkadina as she orders her lover to come home cements her as a talent to watch out for in the coming years.
The intention, here, seems to be a deconstruction of some of Chekhov’s less developed characters—in particular, Masha, who is played by three women. The three work spectacularly well together, demonstrating how choral, physical theatre can be done right. It’s not just their costuming that sets them apart as a woman “mourning for life”, but their entire physicality, which is in tune with one another.
The company perfectly captures Chekhov’s tendency for angst and characters who hurt each other endlessly with their capacity for love, mirroring the experience of many an undergraduate regardless of what degree they are pursuing. The Seagull is the perfect subject matter here for young actors such as these. At times, the production is incredibly self-aware. When it is unknowingly deconstructing themes of unrequited love and our capacity to destroy each other, it is heads and shoulders above other student productions I have seen, but once the cast begins to lean into this self-awareness—ah, there’s the rub.
Some of John O’Hara’s original music is fantastic: the song the three Mashas sing at the beginning of the show helps the audience to settle into their seats, but the tension is broken up later on by a trio of Konstantins singing ‘Creep’ to an absent Nina with varying degrees of proficiency. Cat Fuller’s stage design is beautifully industrial and allows the energetic cast members to climb and exert some of the energy their characters seem to bubble over with. Often, Chekhov productions are subdued, and the drama is purely emotional and verbal. Here, a physical manifestation of the frustrations of Russian realism is allowed to spill forth.
The show does not end when it needs to—the voice-overs of the cast discussing what they will do when they graduate is touching, but adds an element of ‘graduate art show’, whereas up until this point, the show was sitting more securely in the realm of ‘fringe theatre’. This, the self-portraits which fly in from the ceiling on large canvases, and the lip-syncing dance break at the end, extend the play past a point where we can continue to ponder the questions we’ve been given about why anyone would want to become an actor at all. Some of the company did not seem to be comfortable dancing on stage (or they didn’t know the moves), but those who did were eye-catching enough.
For a graduation show, The Three Seagulls is a lot of fun, and it is genuinely touching to be able to see young actors on stage again after so long in the pandemic. This is the kind of show that is allowed to ponder big questions, presenting the culmination of three years’ work and saying ‘look! I did it!’, and as such, each member of the company should be incredibly proud of themselves.
The Three Seagulls is at the Bristol Old Vic until 10th July.
Words by Maddy Raven.
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