See it if you appreciate masterful interpretations of classic pieces.
Don't see it if don't like Chekov in any form or are triggered by discussions of suicide.
See it if You like plays about narcissists, love (or the lack of it) and people searching for themselves. I thought this play was very funny.
Don't see it if If you want a production that’s staged like the original. Read more
See it if you like backstage stories.The acting is uneven, but the script is terrific.The set is good.
Don't see it if you only like frothy musicals. This isn't a profound play, but it is interesting, well done and fun.
See it if you want to see a perfectly pitched Parker Posey leading a very strong cast in the Chekhov classic set in Upstate NY
Don't see it if you are a Chekhov purist, prefer musicals or comedies (as Chekhov intended) or are triggered by unrequited love, bad parenting, or suicide Read more
See it if You love all Chekhov. Past that, the production doesn't do much to further the seagull into the 2020s past the time shift.
Don't see it if You want a fast-moving show, or a drama, or a comedy, this productions sits oddly in the middle. Contains lots of adult themes/discussions.
See it if you have a theater degree.
Don't see it if you need a “point”.
See it if Totally enjoyed this play. Parker Posey, Nat Wolff and Hari Nef were delightful. Thomas Bradshaw brought The Seagull to now.
Don't see it if This Seagull is more accessible and you can relate and care about these artists and their pain.
See it if 2 Words: PARKER POSEY! Her performance alone is worth the price of admission. She is a comic genius w/ a huge stage presence.
Don't see it if The show itself needs some work. It should be about 30min shorter. Sometimes when Posey is not on stage the show tends to drag.
"I’m left to wonder whether a few moments of enhanced relevance are worth the bother of a comprehensive and often counterproductive update. "
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“Scott Elliott, directing, doesn’t get the rest of the cast whirring at her level. There are awkward gaps between bits of dialogue, and the scene transitions lose momentum, sapping the comedy.”
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“ ‘The Seagull/Woodstock, NY’ brings out qualities in the Russian playwright that are often smothered in gauze...Call it a theatrical Tinder hookup that is as surprising as it is rewarding.”
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“After you’ve acclimated to the colorful language and pervasive horniness of the amusing first half, you realize Bradshaw has adapted ‘The Seagull’ without deviating from the plot...If Bradshaw contemplated big blasphemies to the canon, he chickened out with Seagull.”
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“There's much to appreciate and admire in this stone, even with its flaws. Bradshaw updates Chekhov and squeezes his play for every drop of comedy it has... That said, this is the most I've ever enjoyed ‘The Seagull,’ imperfections and all.”
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“There's plenty of Russian-style discontent to draw on but The Seagull/Woodstock, NY rarely taps into it. Bradshaw has been conscientious about finding contemporary analogues for Chekhov's characters and situations, but their behavior often seems dictated by the mores of a previous century…The leisurely pace of Elliott's production doesn't help, nor does a lengthy opening sequence in which the actors do warmup exercises, then urge us to sing and clap along to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's "Our House." In a production where less would surely be more, such little indulgences push the running time to the two-hour-and-forty-five-minute point.”
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“Regrettably, the design elements were not enough to transport me into the world of the play. I found myself growing more and more impatient. “
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“The show feels long, very long, but not to worry. If you find yourself nodding off, you’re likely to be jolted awake by the periodic blowing of an air horn onstage.”
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