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The Seagull

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
“We need the theatre, couldn’t, couldn’t do without it. Could we?” A successful actress visits her brother’s remote estate, stirring the frustrated ambitions of its inhabitants. Her son’s self-penned play becomes a focal point for dreams of fame, love and redemption in Anton Chekhov’s darkly comic classic, freshly reimagined for the 21st century by Anya Reiss.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for lovers of classic theatre and contemporary adaptations, fans of dark comedy, and readers interested in poignant explorations of ambition and relationships.

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The Seagull is one of Anton Chekhov's four undisputed Great Plays of Drama. In this new adaptation of the tale, award‐winning playwright Anya Reiss retells this darkly comi‐tragic masterpiece placing it in a contemporary setting, thereby revealing brand new truths and questions for audiences both new and versed.

A contemporary retelling of Chekhov's masterpiece.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

“We need the theatre, couldn’t, couldn’t do without it. Could we?”

A successful actress visits her brother’s isolated estate far from the city, throwing the frustrated residents' unfulfilled ambitions into sharp relief. As her son attempts to impress with a self-penned play, putting much more than his pride at stake, others dream of fame, love and the ability to change their past.

Chekhov’s darkly comic masterpiece is reignited for the 21st century by one of the most exciting new voices in British Theatre, Anya Reiss, winner of the Most Promising Playwright at both the Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle awards.

Series: Oberon Modern Plays

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  • The Seagull
    “We need the theatre, couldn’t, couldn’t do without it. Could we?” A successful actress visits her brother’s isolated estate far from the city, throwing the frustrated residents' unfulfilled ambitions into sharp relief. As her son attempts to impress with a self-penned play, putting much more than his pride at stake, others dream of fame, love and the ability to change...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Telegraph praises the adaptation as "fresh, colloquial, sexy and downright perceptive," bringing Chekhov's work recognisably close to home. What’s On Stage commends Reiss’s witty, understated take that perfectly captures the dark comedy of love triangles. The Independent notes how the play has been successfully Anglicised and modernised by Reiss, an award-winning playwright.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781849434256

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 July 2012

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oberon Books Ltd

Contributors:

  • Adapted by Ms Anya Reiss
  • Adapted by Anya Reiss

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 160g

Pages: 112

About the Author

Anya Reiss wrote her first play when she was 14, as a member of the Royal Court Theatre's Young Wrtiers' Programme. Her debut play, Spur of the Moment (written when she was 17) opened at the Royal Court Theatre in 2010. Anya won the Most Promising Playwright Award at the 2010 Evening Standard Awards, Best New Play at the 2010 TMA Awards and Most Promising Playwright at the 2010 Critics' Circle Awards. He latest play, The Acid Test, opened at the Royal Court in May 2011 and received rave reviews. She also contributed to the Bush Theatre's Sixty Six Books in 2011 and the Old Vic's Children's Monologues in 2010. She has also written the play Forty Five Minutes for the 2013 National Theatre Connections.

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