Unlocking the Body, Finding the Heart: Directing Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull by KATHLEEN JOY DUBORG B.F.A., The University of British Columbia, 1990 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF FINE ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Theatre) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) August 2014 © Kathleen Joy Duborg, 2014 Abstract Unlocking the Body, Finding the Heart: Directing Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull explores my directorial practice while staging Chekhov’s The Seagull at the Telus Studio Theatre, University of British Columbia from January 23 to February 8, 2014. As presented in the following pages, my primary objective was to find and deliver an immediate and unique interpretation of this exceptional play’s dramatization of romantic and artistic conflict in late 19th Century Russia. My practice centred upon an analysis and rehearsal process that investigated character through movement and an understanding of the connectedness between the body and emotional states. I also examine how I worked within the Telus Theatre thrust stage configuration, finding ways to not only overcome this challenge, but to use it to my advantage. Finally, I look at how The Seagull served as a crucible for me to expand and begin defining my practice and abilities as a director. In doing so, I also discovered a deep passion for teaching—a journey that should be evident in both my journal and directorial process pages. This paper includes a directorial analysis of the script, the journal chronicling the entire production process, production photos and a chapter containing my reflections on the year I spent working on The Seagull. ii Preface This dissertation is an original, unpublished and independent work by the author, Kathleen Duborg. iii Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................................... ii Preface ..................................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................ vi Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ vii Dedication ............................................................................................................................................. viii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 1: Directorial Analysis ..................................................................................................... 2 Part 1: Initial Response to the Play ............................................................................................ 2 Part 2: Type or Genre of Play ........................................................................................................ 5 Part 3: The Significance of the Title ............................................................................................ 7 Part 4: Style ......................................................................................................................................... 8 Part 5: Space ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Part 6: Period ................................................................................................................................... 11 Part 7: Action of the Play .............................................................................................................. 12 Part 8: Geographical Location .................................................................................................... 13 Part 9: Date, Season and Time of Day ...................................................................................... 14 Part 10: Economic Environment ................................................................................................ 14 Part 11: Previous Action ............................................................................................................... 15 Part 12: Theme or Central Idea of the Play ............................................................................ 16 Part 13: Emphatic Element .......................................................................................................... 17 Part 14: Character Analysis ......................................................................................................... 18 Part 15: Directorial Approach .................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 2: Production Journal .................................................................................................... 33 CHAPTER 3: Detailed Scene Analysis ........................................................................................... 83 CHAPTER 4: Reflections ................................................................................................................. 119 iv Appendices ......................................................................................................................................... 125 Appendix A: Notes for First Day of Rehearsal ................................................................... 125 Appendix B: Director’s Program Notes ............................................................................... 131 Appendix C: Production Credits ............................................................................................. 134 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 135 v List of Figures Figure 1. Thomas Elms as Konstantin. Photo credit-Nancii Bernard ............................................... 2 Figure 2: Matt Kennedy as Trigorin, Natasha Zacher as Nina. Photo Credit-Nancii Bernard ......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 3: Matt Kennedy-Trigorin, Mercedes de la Zerda-Arkadina. Photo credit-Nancii Bernard ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 4: Helena Fisher-Walsh as Masha & Nick Preston as Medvedenko. Photo Credit: Tim Matheson ..................................................................................................................................................... 33 Figure 5: Over Eternal Peace, 1894. Painter Isaac Levitan ............................................................... 44 Figure 6: Helena Fisher-Welsh & Thomas Elms. Photo Credit-Tim Matheson ......................... 50 Figure 7: Elliot Squire, set design detail. Act 4 The Seagull ............................................................... 53 Figure 8: The Seagull Act 4. Photo Credit-Tim Matheson .................................................................. 53 Figure 9: Mercedes de la Zerda as Arkadina & Javier Sotres as Sorin. Photo credit-Nancii Bernard ......................................................................................................................................................... 67 Figure 10: Mercedes de la Zerda and Matt Kennedy. Photo Credit-Tim Matheson ................ 99 Figure 11: Natasha Zacher as Nina & Thomas Elms as Konstantin. Photo Credit-Nancii Bernard ....................................................................................................................................................... 117 Figure 12: Thomas Elms as Konstantin. Photo Credit-Tim Matheson ....................................... 124 vi Acknowledgements I am deeply grateful to the actors who brought The Seagull to life. Their openness and daring were inspiring and, ultimately, my greatest lesson. My utmost thanks to my collaborators: designers Elliot, Sian, Lauren and Daniel who all worked so hard to unstuff this bird! Also to the Three Graces of stage management, Ndola and assistants Becky and Kaylin and the many dedicated and incredibly talented staff from UBC who joined and supported our production. I am indebted to the mentorship and advice from my advisor Stephen Malloy who offered such incredible wisdom, intuitive dexterity and kindness to my directorial self and the project over the past year. Also many thanks to voice teacher Gayle Murphy for all of her brilliant work with the cast and her encouragement to all of us. I want to acknowledge my esteemed teachers over the past two years of study: Stephen Malloy, Tom Scholte, Stephen Heatley, Kirsty Johnson, John Cooper and Robert Gardiner. You have imbued me with incredible tools and profoundly deepened my curiosity about the theatre and the spirit of inquiry you all embody. To my family, where I’ve learned most of my elemental knowledge on social systems, laughter through tears, and debating—Mary, Klaus, Paula, Carol, Christina, Samson, Cecil and Iken—love and thanks.