The National Theatre from Bitola will premiere the play “The Seagull” by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov tonight as part of the drama program at the “Ohrid Summer” festival, directed by Bagrijana Popov.
At today’s press conference held in anticipation of the premiere, it was emphasized that the drama, which Chekhov himself called a comedy, carries a message about the fragility of humanity, seen through the prism of people’s relationship with nature.
Director Popov, who has collaborated with the Bitola Theatre for 20 years, noted that the play deals with suffering and love, as well as the beauty of nature, making its premiere in Ohrid particularly fitting.
“Whenever such plays are staged, the essence is to present the interaction of man with nature and beauty. I eagerly await to see how this play will be brought to life here, in this spiritual place, and to discover how this play will speak to and through us,” said Popov.
Popov points out that with the actors from the Bitola Theatre, “The Seagull” comes to Ohrid with the lake as a central character, subtly influencing the relationships around it. “Chekhov’s magical play is a love letter to life, highlighting our awareness of fragility and the need for care,” she said.
Ilija Volchevski from the Prilep Theatre, who plays the main role in the play, mentioned that Chekhov has always been a challenge for actors, as working on his works and characters has been both an honor and an obligation since their academic days.
“As a team, we eagerly await the audience’s reaction to this premiere, regardless of whether the comments are positive or negative. Compliments are good for self-confidence, but constructive criticism is always a motivation for improvement,” he said.
Regarding the tragic end of the character Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev in the play, Volchevski said:
“Every person goes through life’s turbulence… Personal problems are the greatest for everyone, but I don’t think that such an end as Treplev’s is a solution. One should always strive to reach the bright spot that becomes clearer as you get closer to it,” he pointed out.
Young actress Leonida Gulevska, who plays the exciting role of Masha, said that her character is perhaps the most enigmatic and misunderstood in the play.
“It was harder to work on this character because it’s a role with little text, yet it needs to convey solutions to difficult, unresolved dilemmas. The message to young people would be to seek optimism in every situation, and that’s the bright spot we should aim for,” she said.
Ognjen Drangov mentioned that his character, Evgeny Sergeevich Dorn, comes at the right moment for him personally, as it is a character that, based on experience, suits his age the most.
“Perhaps now is the moment when I need to step back from the enthusiasm of Treplev, Masha, or Mina, to see everything in the play with my own eyes, of course, without cynicism but with warmth… This character came to me at the right time, after many kilometers on stage, after playing numerous roles. It’s great when such a character brings freshness to the play. It certainly brought freshness to me,” said Drangov.
Bagrijana Popov is an award-winning theatre director, dramaturg, and actor who has collaborated with renowned actors in Australia and Europe. She shows a deep and lasting interest in Chekhov’s dramas and has adapted and directed his four major plays. Her theatrical adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard” – “Progress and Melancholia” – won three awards, including one for best direction. Her production of “Uncle Vanya” by Chekhov, in collaboration with “La Mama,” was performed to high acclaim at the Adelaide Festival in 2019.
The play will also feature Julijana Mirchevska, Katerina Anevska-Drangovska, Vasko Mavrovski, Sonja Oshavkova, Aleksandar Dimitrovski, Zhivko Borisovski, Valentin Damchevski, and Darko Velkoski. Scenography for the play was designed by Valentin Svetozarev, costumes by Blagoj Micevski, while the music was composed by Aleksandar Dimovski.
The performance will be held on the stage at “Dolni Saraj” starting at 7:30 PM, lasting two hours, and is not suitable for audiences under 16 years of age.
