The seagull - drama on three

[JasonPalmer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001j4s1

This Sunday, looking forward to it, first saw this play at the theatre in Regent's Park.

[smittims]

What deters me is the 'new version'. Why can't they just broadcast Chekhov's wonderful play as printed? Surely that's what Radio 3 ought to be doing - the classics , in werktreue. They wouldn't do Mahler's ninth in 'a new version' for samba band (oh dear, now I've said that they probably will...)

The best 'seagull' I've seen or heard was at my local theatre in the '90s I think, with Cheryl Campbell as Mme Treplev.

[JasonPalmer]

Perhaps it's so they can dip into a budget for new productions ?

[dotsonpaper]

Presumably you'd prefer to hear it in the original Russian?

The version you enjoyed in the 90s was a new translation by Stephen Mulrine.

[french frank]

Presumably you'd prefer to hear it in the original Russian?

The version you enjoyed in the 90s was a new translation by Stephen Mulrine.

Well, they do say "Traddutore, traditore", don't they? True to an extent, but there is a difference. The (professional?) translator does attempt to be as faithful as possible to the original in order to make an otherwise inaccessible work available to a wider public. The modern adaptations are in fact new works presented under a familar label, and if accepted as such they are fine. But it's (in this case) "Chekhov at Two Removes" at least, isn't it?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well, they do say "Traddutore, traditore", don't they? True to an extent, but there is a difference. The (professional?) translator does attempt to be as faithful as possible to the original in order to make an otherwise inaccessible work available to a wider public. The modern adaptations are in fact new works presented under a familar label, and if accepted as such they are fine. But it's (in this case) "Chekhov at Two Removes" at least, isn't it?

Chekhov translations tend to be extremely free. I tried following the recent BBC Uncle Vanya with the Penguin translation published in the sixties and gave up . There were so few points of similarity.

[french frank]

Chekhov translations tend to be extremely free. I tried following the recent BBC Uncle Vanya with the Penguin translation published in the sixties and gave up . There were so few points of similarity.

Traddutore, traditore? I think freedom in the translation is often an attempt to provide a translation which holds up as a creative work in its own right, sometimes attempted by poets who want the translation to be recognised as threir own fine poetry as well the original author's fine classic; and may or may not be a 'good' translation. I also think 'modernisations' sometimes work, sometimes don't. But 'loosely based on' is often a bit too loose to be headlined as the work of the earlier writer.

I gave up listening to Radio 3, even Drama on 3, long ago (but enjoyed my minidisc recordings of M. Duras's The Lovers of Viorne and Brecht's Mr Puntila and his Man Matti last week), so am not commenting on this latest production which may fit into any one of my personal 'categories'.

[AuntDaisy]

His nibs* tweeted about it in December, enthusiastically. My reply was somewhat less...

https://twitter.com/armslengthal/status/1605326778557497344

Given the number of Seagull's in Auntie's archives, I can't see the need for a "new version" and the trailers / description / unfamiliar cast have already put me off.

There's an excellent 1953 production with Producer Val Gielgud as Trigorin, Fay Compton, Leon Quartermaine, Ursula Howells...
or, how about
1986 with Anna Massey, Alan Rickman, TP McKenna, Kate Binchy, Alan MacNaughtan, Dominic Guard...
1993 with Diana Quick, Edward Petherbridge, Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister, Helena Bonham Carter...
1981 with Petra Markham, Gwen Watford, James Laurenson, Michael Maloney...
1968 with Anthony Jackson, Ian McKellen, Jack May, Irene Worth, Hugh Burden...
(The 1986 World Service production is the one I listen to most.)

*Alan Davey, out-going Controller of Radio 3.

[AuntDaisy]

I gave up listening to Radio 3, even Drama on 3, long ago (but enjoyed my minidisc recordings of M. Duras's The Lovers of Viorne and Brecht's Mr Puntila and his Man Matti last week), so am not commenting on this latest production which may fit into any one of my personal 'categories'.

With Juliet Stevenson, Roger Allam & Peter Bowles? A cast to dream of these days.

[Ein Heldenleben]

His nibs* tweeted about it in December, enthusiastically. My reply was somewhat less...

https://twitter.com/armslengthal/status/1605326778557497344

Given the number of Seagull's in Auntie's archives, I can't see the need for a "new version" and the trailers / description / unfamiliar cast have already put me off.

There's an excellent 1953 production with Producer Val Gielgud as Trigorin, Fay Compton, Leon Quartermaine, Ursula Howells...
or, how about
1986 with Anna Massey, Alan Rickman, TP McKenna, Kate Binchy, Alan MacNaughtan, Dominic Guard...
1993 with Diana Quick, Edward Petherbridge, Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister, Helena Bonham Carter...
1981 with Petra Markham, Gwen Watford, James Laurenson, Michael Maloney...
1968 with Anthony Jackson, Ian McKellen, Jack May, Irene Worth, Hugh Burden...
(The 1986 World Service production is the one I listen to most.)

*Alan Davey, out-going Controller of Radio 3.

I like the “please bring hard - soled shoes to the studio “ at the bottom of the script. There are a couple of dances in the play aren’t there ? Difficult to do those effects off disc I guess ?

[AuntDaisy]

I like the “please bring hard - soled shoes to the studio “ at the bottom of the script. There are a couple of dances in the play aren’t there ? Difficult to do those effects off disc I guess ?

Not sure what they'll be dancing to, given the composer's range... How about "Urbane Planning", "Graceful Reception" or "Sandbox Sprite"?

https://soundcloud.com/johnchamberscomposer

[Ein Heldenleben]

Not sure what they'll be dancing to, given the composer's range... How about "Urbane Planning", "Graceful Reception" or "Sandbox Sprite"?
https://soundcloud.com/johnchamberscomposer

I see the Controller “sat in “ on the recording . Back in the day we used to hate it when that happened ….like the head turning up during class.
Luckily they usually only stayed for an hour.

[AuntDaisy]

I see the Controller “sat in “ on the recording . Back in the day we used to hate it when that happened ….like the head turning up during class.
Luckily they usually only stayed for an hour.

Who was / were your Controller(s)?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Who was / were your Controller(s)?

In Radio quite a few. In telly dozens. Controllers come and go …..talent endures. I was very young when I worked in Radio and couldn’t believe the general level of disrespect for the high -ups. It’s only when you climb the greasy pole you realise that their job is a lot more tricky and a lot less enjoyable than yours.

[french frank]

With Juliet Stevenson, Roger Allam & Peter Bowles? A cast to dream of these days.

Even they . The Brecht was an adaptation with music, and Radio 3 tends to go for versions with music while Radio 4 goes for Henry V as a 5-part serial .