A Methuen Student Edition of Chekhov's classic play in Michael Frayn's acclaimed translation. When it first opened in St Petersburg in 1896 The Seagull survived only five performances after a disastrous first opening night. Two years later it was revived by Nemirovich-Danchenko at the newly-founded Moscow Art Theatre with Stanslasky as Trigorin and was an immediate success. Checkhov's description of the play was characteristically self-mocking: "A comedy - 3F 6M four acts rural scenery (a view over a lake); much talk of literature little action five bushels of love". Michael Frayn's translation was commissioned by the Oxford Playhouse Company.
