SEAGULL: TRUE STORY at Marylebone Theatre 5 Sept – 12 Oct 2025

‘a conversation piece’ ★★★★

Based on true events experienced by exiled Russian director Alexander Molochnikov, the story begins in Moscow Art Theater. A young experimental theatre director, Kon, is staging Chekhov’s The Seagull as a cabaret.  when Russia invades Ukraine, the cast and creatives are shocked and disturbed by the events.  Trying to speak out about their feelings, the production incurs state censorship, which cramps the director’s creativity.  Now the young director packs his bags for more artistic freedom in New York. He leaves behind his mother who is a famous actress, and passes the baton of free speech to ‘Anton’ who quickly finds himself in prison.   “We love it when people do what we say, we love it in Russia.”

The second Act is set in New York and without going into the details of the story, it soon becomes apparent that Kon’s romantic ideal of the States is dashed as he discovers a different, but nevertheless crushing, culture of control.   The big shot producer that he approaches has never heard of him but shows a spark of interest, if only Kon would direct a multi-media show about three pigs. It is this kind of irony where the show scores a massive hit.  Kon solidly sticks to his precious vision of The Seagull and refuses to compromise.

Kon continues to search for a theatre that will take his play and is rejected until he has to make do with an actor whom he meets by chance, Nico, a bunch of amateur artists and a warehouse to stage his production.  The very naivety of Kon, is amusing in itself.  It is laughable and laudable that this show should wend its way to London,  Speaking from the point of view of this publication (London Pub Theatres Magazine), generally it isn’t possible to start at the top and most graduates find themselves working for free and building their own careers from scratch with immense determination and ambition. That lucky break, doesn’t always come.   Artists have to make their own ‘luck’ (and the harder they work, the luckier they get).   

David Boyd as Kon, plays the dreamer to perfection, hiding from a critic in the first Act (but never letting go of his dream of re-envisioning The Seagull).  “Making the play is the easy part” and here, as a reviewer, it is my break to make some scathing comments about the show. The cabaret is madcap, flying materials, a random bath, grungy costumes, and ballet with a smatter of camp dancing, but somehow it does work. The supporting cast are rather fine dancers, and the visuals do add some depth to the politics, reminders of the treatment of the LGBT community for starters. 

The cabaret is colourful, and the wacky visuals are grounded by a cracking script from Eli Rarey, giving excoriating insights into the different cultures of the two countries. It lays bare the ghastly truth of what it takes to get to the top in the industry. Kon, just doesn’t have an understanding of the system, how it works and how to use it

Ingeborga Dapkunaite as the Mother is spectacularly good in the role, as someone who does understand the system enough to keep working at the top of her acting profession. Fascinating that her position allows her to canvass for ‘Anton’ even though there is only so far that she can go. Dapkunaite is totally credible in the role. Stella Baker as Nico also shines and has a character development which allows facets of the same woman to be exposed. In fact, all the cast play their roles with aplomb. 

Recent data shows, that people in their 20s and 30s are flocking to theatres as an antidote to looking at their small screens. Theatre is having a resurgence of popularity and for all those looking to have an actual discussion, post show, Seagull: True Story is certainly a conversation piece. 

Images: Mark Senior

SEAGULL: TRUE STORY

Marylebone Theatre

5 Sept – 12 Oct 2025

BOX OFFICE https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/#Whats-On

Presented by Sofia Kapkov for MART and Oliver King for WILD YAK

Creatives & production team

Creator & Director Alexander Molochnikov

Writer Eli Rarey

Set Designer Alexander Shishkin

Costume Designer Kristina Kharlashkina

Lighting Designers Brian H. Scott, Sam Saliba

Composer Fedor Zhuravlev

Lyrics by Noize MC

Choreographer Ohad Mazor

‍UK Lighting Designer Alex Musgrave

‍UK Sound Designer Julian Starr

Cast

Nico

Stella Baker

Kon

Daniel Boyd

MC

Andrey Burkovskiy

‍Olga

Ingeborga Dapkunaite ‍

Dmitri

Ohad Mazor

Sasha

Myles J. McCabe

Ivan/Jack

Quentin Lee Moore ‍

Pickle

Keshet Pratt

Musician

Shukhrat Turdikhodjev ‍

Anton/Sorry

Elan Zafir