"The thing is an almost-four-hour-long continuous explosion - actors dancing, grappling, and hurling furniture; the director present onstage ripping pieces out of the set; paint and blood and flowers and feathers everywhere."
""I cannot stand my own contempt for myself," cries the tormented protagonist, Nikolai Ivanov. "I'm intelligent, I'm in the prime of life, and I could die of shame when I realize that I'm turning into some kind of Hamlet, a completely superfluous man.""
"The young company - which aspires to European standards of ensemble compensation and process duration - is tackling Ivanov, and the results are a start-to-finish triumph."
Yury Butusov's production of The Seagull is a dynamic, nearly four-hour performance filled with intense action and emotional depth. The New American Ensemble, directed by Michael DeFilippis, successfully stages Chekhov's Ivanov, showcasing the talents of American actors. The production highlights the struggles of the protagonist, Nikolai Ivanov, who grapples with self-contempt and existential despair. The ensemble's commitment to high standards in performance and process is evident, marking a significant achievement in bringing this lesser-known Chekhov play to life.
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