Cathal Cleary Theatre Company and Dublin Municipal Theatre in association with Once Off Productions

“I want fame. Real proper fame. A thunderstorm of fame.”

Irina (Aisling O’Sullivan), a fading star of the stage, returns to her family estate to see her volatile son Konstantin with her lover Boris in tow. Nina, an aspiring actress and Konstantin’s newest obsession, draws everyone – including Boris -into her orbit and the tensions simmering beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside retreat begin to bubble over. Ambitions collide, resentments surface and longing spirals out of control.

How do we shape each other?
What happens when we don’t get what we want?
What happens when we do?

Following the sell-out successes of Uncle Vanya in 2025 and A Streetcar Named Desire in 2024, Cathal Cleary returns to Smock Alley this Christmas with another unmissable classic. The Seagull gets a bold, contemporary reimagining from Simon Stephens, bringing Chekhov’s famously dysfunctional family vividly into the here and now.

Age Suitability: 12+

CAST Aisling O’Sullivan

WRITTEN BY Anton Chekhov
ADAPTED BY Simon Stephens
LITERAL TRANSLATION BY Helen Rappaport
DIRECTED BY Cathal Cleary
SET DESIGN BY Alyson Cummins
COSTUME DESIGN BY Mae Leahy
LIGHTING DESIGN BY Stephen Dodd
SOUND DESIGN BY Ultan de Stáinleigh
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Úna Ní Nualláin
PRODUCER Muirenn Lyons
PRODUCTION MANAGER Pius McGrath, Honest Arts
DEPUTY PRODUCTION MANAGER Gavan Bourke, Honest Arts
COMPANY MANAGER Morgan Steele, Once Off Productions
GRAPHIC DESIGN BY Louise Brady

PREVIEW / MATINEE TICKETS €24

TICKETS €27 | €24

RUNNING TIME 2 hrs 50 mins incl 15 min interval

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHTS
Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian playwright and author. His career as a playwright produced four famous classics, The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. He was the author of hundreds of short stories and several plays and is regarded by many as both the greatest Russian storyteller and the father of modern drama.

Simon Stephens is a multi-award-winning playwright. His plays for theatre include Heisenberg, Birdland, Punk Rock, Harper Regan, Pornography, Motortown and Bluebird; adaptations include Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and The Seagull. Awards include the Pearson Award for Best New Play for Port and the Olivier Award for Best New Play for On the Shore of the Wide World. His adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won seven Olivier Awards and five Tony Awards. He is an Associate at the Royal Court, London and Steep Theatre Company, Chicago.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Cathal Cleary is an award-winning director from Roscommon who has worked extensively in Ireland & UK. Last year he directed UNCLE VANYA (Smock Alley) along with A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE in 2024, and has launched an EARLY-CAREER DIRECTORS’ SCHEME. In 2018 he directed FURNITURE (Druid, Irish Theatre Award), PORCELAIN and MADHOUSE (both Abbey). Also, THE HALF OF IT (Dublin Fringe 2017) nominated for five Fringe Awards & won one. He won the JMK Award for DISCO PIGS (Young Vic 2011) and was the first Donmar Trainee Artistic Director. He has also directed THOM PAIN (Smock Alley 2024) and the national tour of BLUE THUNDER (2023).

ABOUT THE COMPANY
Founded in 2006 by Maura O’Keeffe, Once Off Productions provides a structured, supportive, and creative producing platform for independent performance artists. Dedicated to nurturing ambitious, innovative, and collaborative work, the company operates nationally and internationally at all scales. With a strong commitment to bringing live performance to audiences in both traditional and unconventional spaces, Once Off Productions plays a vital role in supporting artists to realise complex and ambitious projects.

REVIEWS
“A bright, often brilliant production, Uncle Vanya is a crowning success.” – Chris O’Rourke, The Arts Review on Uncle Vanya

“A fine opportunity to see one of the best plays ever written.” – Katy Hayes, Irish Independent on Uncle Vanya

“Funny and devastating.” – The Sunday Independent on Uncle Vanya

“An impressive production of a modern classic rarely performed in Ireland” – No More Workhorse on A Streetcar Named Desire