The Seagull
at Mater Dei High School

Reviewed on February 8, 2014

Yamini Nambimadom
University High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

"The Seagull" Spreads its Wings at Mater Dei

Love is sensational. Terrible. Sometimes even to die for. Anton Chekhov's darkly comedic drama, The Seagull, written in 1895, juxtaposes uproarious humor with tragic endeavors, exploring themes of love, loss, and lucre.

Mater Dei's performance exhibits several strong actors, whose creative vocal and tactical choices successfully overcome shortcomings in blocking. The technical elements of the show are effectively executed, despite the limitations offered by the gym-turned-theatre.

Konstantin Treplyov's (Derrick Huynh) powerful vocal choices & distinct physicalization create a memorable performance. He displays incredible versatility, tackling both the ecstasy and anguish of loving innocent actress Nina (Lauren Hughes). Huynh's twisted facial expressions deepen his portrayal of Konstantin, and intensify as his mania grows. His well-timed pauses and ability to play off his scene partners heighten tensions, particularly towards the end of the show, as he grunts in fury while trashing his manuscripts and angrily kicking furniture. Konstantin's mother, Irina Arkadina (Jackie Fancher) occupies the stage with her larger-than-life personality. Fancher's bold physicality and modulation exemplify her outrageousness. Irina's lover, Boris Trigorin (Massimo Napoli), maintains a consistently real character while varying his emotional range, dynamically showcasing pensiveness, rage, and passion. Napoli remains in character in spite of potential distractions. His well-played interactions with Irina and Nina truthfully reveal many elements of his nature.

Irina's brother, Piotr Sorin (Brandon Gonzalez), a man of wealth and wisdom, comically combats the angst of Konstantin and the cravings of Irina. His intermittent snoring keeps the audience howling. Gonzalez's performance is aided by the use of a vintage wheelchair and wooden cane, which seem to inspire his bent posture and leisurely attitude. Another contributor of comedic relief, Doctor Yevgeny Dorn (Matt Moore) distracts viewers from ongoing tragedies with his appropriately timed banter and entertainingly deep voice. The maid (Madi Kish) lurks on stage, and despite delivering only a few lines, her performance is astonishingly memorable. Her hunch and constant bewilderment furnish the play without distracting from the audience's engagement.

The lighting design accurately reflects the atmosphere: during lighthearted scenes, lights shine brighter, and as the mood grows bleak, lights dim, setting the tone for upcoming scenes. Most actors' projection makes up for inconsistent microphone volumes, and their referencing of distant landscapes not on set creatively compensates for the lack of stage space.

Chock-full of unmistakably unique characters and shocking plot twists, Mater Dei's production of The Seagull is a startling, riveting adventure.

Catalina Fernandez
University High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Mater Dei Flies into the Heart of the Audience

Mater Dei presents the audience with a lucid production of "The Seagull" that explores the love and folly of humanity in a captivating manner.

Set on an extravagant country estate, an area overlooking a clear lake, both the technical and acting components of the production create a magical and romantic space for the audience.

The marketing and publicity (Jonathan Klinsmann, Tyler Fields) aspects of the production successfully evoke a picturesque addition to the show as the programs consist of a lovely, Monet-influenced image of the lake area in which the play is set.

Throughout the play, the actors demonstrate their passion and profound devotion to the development of their characters as their diction is consistent and fluent. Konstantin Treplyov (Derrick Huynh) achieves the exceptional task of speaking in such a way that is poised and controlled, it leads to an automatic connection with the audience. Not only does his diction contribute to the unraveling of his character but also his physicality, withholding an inner boldness, power which the character of Konstantin himself does not realize he possesses.

Nina Zarechnaya (Lauren Hughes) additionally contributes to the overall success of the production as she moves with elegance and grace, flowing onto the stage and presenting the aspects of innocence and romanticism found in humanity, both of which are essential to the plot development.

Adding to Nina's character depth is that of Boris Trigorin (Massimo Napoli), a wonderfully complex and dynamic character who exhibits the fickleness of humanity. Throughout the play, Boris adds to the wonder and emotional depth as shown in his relationship with Irina Arkadina (Jackie Fancher). The relationship between the two not only provides the audience with comic relief from the dominant dramatic points of the play, but also depicts the natural and obvious passion of the two actors toward the progression of their characters. The moment in which Boris confesses to Irina that he no longer loves her as he once did, is by far one of the most exceptional portions of the play. The physical and verbal components of the argument between the two intertwine in such a way that Irina's manipulation is as clear as Boris's insanity.

Overall, Mater Dei's production of "The Seagull" is successful in communicating the magnificent absurdity of humanity in a way that evokes both laughter and tears.

Loralee Sepsey
Costa Mesa High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Mater Dei's "Seagull" teaches life, love, heartbreak

In a society where love seems frivolous and fleeting and marriage is used to mask the vulnerabilities of the heart, Mater Dei High School's production of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" is poignant, humorous, and heartbreakingly truthful.

Set in Russia at the turn of the 20th century, "The Seagull" follows an ensemble of characters as they go about their day to day lives, focusing on their humanizing qualities rather than a driven plot. At the center of it all is the tortured young playwright Konstantin (Derrick Huynh), driven to depression and solitude by his love for the young, innocent actress Nina (Lauren Hughes). Huynh brings a depth to his character through the tone of his voice, rising to high volumes in anger and frustration, transitioning to sweet, mournful softness in his pleas of love. He then channels his emotion into his physical movements about the stage, setting the soft dreariness of his final scene as he charges about his drawing room, starting by slowly tearing up his writing to flailing about in a quietly focused passion, overturning furniture and throwing open doors before finally leaving the audience one last ominous moment of the hope and sadness Konstantin embodies. Huynh stands at the open door, gazing into the corner of his room with a sad longing in his eyes before grabbing his rifle and fleeing into the cold night.

Author Boris Trigorin (Massimo Napoli) thrusts himself into Konstantin's life and soon falls for the young Nina, much to the chagrin of Konstantin's mother and Boris's lover, Irina Arkadina (Jackie Fancher). The final confrontation between the two creates an intense, fiery passion upon the stage, as Napoli transitions effortlessly from loud, booming shouts of anger to soft whispers of focused hatred against a woman who only ends up manipulating him to become just like her. In the final scenes of the play, Napoli makes a distinct turn from a passionate artist to a male copy of the shrill, self-centered actress Fancher embodies. Matt Moore portrays Dr. Yevgeny Dorn with a solid sense of reason amongst the frivolity of his peers, delivering his lines with a deep timbre and maturity unbeknownst to most teenage actors.

"The Seagull" is more than a tale of silly love triangles and shallow heartbreak. It's a study in our humanity, the depth in our choices and our wish to fly free.