Press room

Wessex Grove and Gavin Kalin Productions announce that Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke will star in Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier’s new version of Chekhov’s masterpiece The Seagull. Also directed by Ostermeier, the production will play a limited 6 week run at the Barbican Theatre from February 2025.  

Tickets starts at £20, and for every performance there are over 100 tickets at that price. 

The Seagull marks a return to the Barbican stage for Cate Blanchett following her performance in Botho Strauss’ Big and Small (Gross und Klein), in 2012, adapted by Martin Crimp and directed by Benedict Andrews for Sydney Theatre Company (STC), where Blanchett was co-Artistic Director alongside Andrew Upton. Early in their tenure at STC they welcomed Thomas Ostermeier to the company with his acclaimed production of Hamlet as part of Sydney Festival. 

The production reunites Blanchett and Burke who have recently completed filming on Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag; and also reunites Ostermeier with Wessex Grove, who collaborated earlier this year on the director’s West End debut – An Enemy of the People with Matt Smith. 

Thomas Ostermeier said today, “I have known and admired Cate for many years, and to see her on stage is always a privilege. I am thrilled that we will make our first artistic collaboration with this production of The Seagull at the Barbican, and that London will experience this once in a generation actress in one of the greatest theatrical roles of Arkadina. I’m also very pleased to be forging a new artistic relationship with Tom Burke, who will play the role of Trigorin.”

Blanchett stars as Arkadina, a celebrated actress whose larger-than-life presence dominates both the stage and her personal relationships. Arriving at her family's country estate for the weekend, she finds herself caught up in a storm of conflicting desires. Her playwright son, Konstantin, struggles to step out of her shadow as he pursues his own artistic ambitions and her lover Trigorin, played by Tom Burke, becomes the object of affection for the aspiring young actress Nina. 

As their lives entwine and they each grapple with their desires, ambitions, and disappointments, Chekhov's timeless story unfolds in a gripping tale of vanity, power, and the sacrifices made in the name of art. 

ON SALE DATES: 

Mon 7 Oct, 10am-1pm: Premier Patrons, Principal Patrons and Director’s Circle Patrons Priority
Mon 7 Oct, 1pm-4pm: Barbican Patrons  Priority
Mon 7 Oct, 4pm: Barbican Members Plus Priority

Tue 8 Oct, 10am: Barbican Members Priority
Tue 8 Oct, 4pm: Wessex Grove Priority

Wed 9 Oct, 10am: Public booking opens

https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-seagull

Full cast and creative team will be announced shortly.