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The Seagull
***
Dir: Michael Mayer (12A 99 mins)
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Saorise Ronan, Annette Bening
(USA, 12A, 1hr 39mins)
This speedy film adaptation of Chekhov’s play boasts some fine performances, but remains a little removed and worthy. Written in 1896 by the famed Russian playwright, this transposes all the sultry angst of its source material with rapid economy.
Reams of dialogue are excised in favour of a more streamlined version, no doubt alarming Chekhov purists. Set in a country house, Annette Bening, superb as usual, plays vain, ageing actress Irina. Her younger lover, Trigorin, played by Ant Man villain Corey Stoll has fallen for another, Saoirse Ronan’s beguiling and ambitious Nina. This is quietly devastating for her, with Bening making Irina wonderfully engaging even when her spitefulness causes her to lash out at her son, Konstantin, played by Billy Howle, an aspiring playwright.
Konstantin himself has fallen for the self-serving Nina also and has been cruelly cast aside by her for the attentions of Trigorin. Elisabeth Moss also shines as the lovelorn Masha, pining for Konstantin, drinking surreptitiously and melodramatically hating the world.
The cast are clearly relishing the fact that they are performing a classic, Brian Dennehy, so little seen onscreen these days, excels as the infirm elder Sorin and Mare Winningham’s Polina also convinces as a woman frustrated in love. There’s an underlying sensuality throughout, well captured by director Mayer from Stephen Karam’s adaptation, there’s skinny dipping and snogging amidst the angst and hand wringing.
It does not fully succeed; Howle’s performance is at times a little overblown and even in its streamlined state, the stage origins of the original can still be felt. It is however a noble attempt to transfer the play to film, greatly aided by Bening and Ronan’s performances. Not as stuffy as it sounds, The Seagull has moments of flight if not proving completely satisfying.
words Keiron Self
Out September 7