Why is it that in cinema, remakes are so often reviled, whereas on stage, each new production of a classic play brings a fresh wave of anticipation, as we wonder how the director and cast might choose to interpret the characters this time around, and thrill to the idea of watching the material brought to life again? That question is further complicated in the case of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” since no definitive big-screen adaptation of the 1896 play exists.
Sadly, that will not change with the arrival of director Michael Mayer’s latest attempt, despite the tantalizing prospect of seeing actresses as great as Saoirse Ronan, Elizabeth Moss, and Annette Bening in the three leading female roles.Whether you know the play well or are experiencing it for the first time, you may well find yourself asking, what was Mayer hoping to achieve? Despite the gift of Chekhov’s
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