Cate Blanchett and the cast of The Seagull on an unconventional adaptation packed with surprises

Last night, director Thomas Ostermeier’s production of The Seagull, which he adapts from Chekhov alongside Duncan Macmillan, celebrated its official opening at the Barbican Theatre.

Cate Blanchett returns to the London stage in the critically acclaimed piece, described by WhatsOnStage’s Sarah Crompton as “superb” and “a magnificent adaptation”, and we were on hand to chat to the two-time Academy Award winner as well as Ostermeier and the rest of the all-star cast after the curtain call.

Find out what makes the production itself and the creative process behind it so unique – as well as how it could have ended up being set in a nudist colony – in the video below:

The cast of The Seagull features Blanchett as Irina Arkádina, with Paul Bazely as Evgeny Dorn, Priyanga Burford as Polina Shamrayev, Tom Burke as Alexander Trigorin, Emma Corrin as Nina Zaréchnaya, Zachary Hart as Simon Medvedenko, Paul Higgins as Ilya Shamrayev, Tanya Reynolds as Masha Shamrayev, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Konstantin Treplev, and Jason Watkins as Peter Sorin.

Rounding out the creative team are Magda Willi (set design), Marg Horwell (costume design), Tom Gibbons (sound design), and Jim Carnahan and Liz Fraser (casting).

The Seagull is set to play at the Barbican until 5 April 2025.