The Seagull, (Russian: Чайка, Chayka) is a play by Anton Chekhov (1860-1904)[1].

The original text

Written as Чайка (Chayka in the Roman alphabet) in 1895, it was first produced at the Alexandrinsky Theatre, St Petersburg in 1896, but failed . Revived and a success when performed by the Moscow Art Theatre a while later. It is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays.

Translations and adaptations

Translations

Widely translated and adapted for the stage, Film and TV, the play has had a vast influence on world theatre.

Translated into English as The Seagull by Elisaveta Fen.

Translated into Afrikaans as Die Seemeeu by André P. Brink. Published by Human & Rousseau, c1972 as Die seemeeu : 'n komedie in vier bedrywe

Die Seemeeu, an updated and adapted Afrikaans text was written by Saartjie Botha in 2015. (Unpublished)

South African responses to the text

Two plays, Die Eend ("The Duck"), an Afrikaans adaptation by Charles Fourie and Reza de Wet's English play On the Lake, were inspired by and in part based on the Chekhov work.

South African film & TV versions

There have been two South African TV versions of the play.

Die Seemeeu (1986)

André P. Brink's 1972 translation was adapted for TV by Stephan Bouwer

Die Seemeeu (2018)

Saartjie Botha's 2015 stage version was adapted as an Afrikaans film by Christiaan Olwagen and Saartjie Botha, and transposed to South Africa in the 1990's. The film was directed by Christiaan Olwagen, with a cast that includes Sandra Prinsloo (Irene), Marius Weyers (Piet), Albert Pretorius (Konstant), Rolanda Marais(Nina), Cintaine Schutte (Masha), Gerben Kamper (Dr. Eugene), Deon Lotz (Elias), Martelize Kolver (Paulina), Geon Nel (Simon) and Alyzzander Fourie (Boors), Bennie Michaels (Jakob) and Margie Michaels (Anna).

Produced by Marche Media and producers Jan du Plessis, Karen Meiring, Jaco Smit, Roelof Storm, Anneke Villet and Kaye Ann Williams. Music by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, cinematography by Chris Vermaak, film editing and script supervision by Eva du Preez, production design by Rocco Pool

Set Decoration by

Stefan Benadé

Costume Design by

Mariechen Vosloo

Production Management

Jaco Nothnagel ... production manager Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Beer Adriaanse ... second second assistant director Jaco Smit ... first assistant director Elle Wolfaardt ... second assistant director Sound Department

Michael Broomberg ... foley artist Jade Hill ... foley artist David Houston ... adr recordist / assistant re-recording mixer James Olivier ... sound designer / sound effects editor Simon Ratcliffe ... sound supervisor Carl Roberts ... foley recordist (as Carl Robert) Jack Van Wyk ... sound editor Louw Verwoerd ... sound mixer Richard West ... dialogue mixer / re-recording mixer / supervising sound editor Camera and Electrical Department

Chris Vermaak ... a camera/steadicam operator Editorial Department

Dwaine de Faria ... on-line editor / post-production supervisor Matthys Pretorius ... colorist Music Department

Charl-Johan Lingenfelder ... musical director Simon Ratcliffe ... score engineer / scoring mixer Script and Continuity Department

Eva Du Preez ... script supervisor (as Eva du Preez) Other crew

Ludwig Binge ... cast stand-in Rebekah Louisa Smith

Performance history in South Africa

The play has been performed numerous times in South Africa, in translation and in adapted form.

Performances in English translation

First South African performance in 19** by **.

1931: This was the play used for the opening performance in the Little Theatre, Cape Town, presented by the Little Theatre Players, directed by Arthur Sewell with students and staff of the South African College of Music on 18 August 1931.

1941: Performed by The Johannesburg Reps starring Taubie Kushlick.

1945: Performed at the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg. Produced by Margaret Lassner for the Johannesburg Repertory Society, with Taubie Kushlick, Rognvald Gibsen, David Goldblatt, Christina Jaures, Fred Loehnen, Jocelyn de Bruyn, Norman Torry.

1968: Presented by the Little Theatre Players at the Little Theatre, Cape Town, in November, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht.

1976: Performed by The Company, directed by Barney Simon, for the “unofficial opening” of the Market Theatre on 21 June (using the small theatre Upstairs at the Market), with Erica Rogers, Vanessa Cooke, Sandra Prinsloo, Bill Brewer, Marius Weyers, Danny Keogh, Lindsay Reardon and Bess Finney.