THE SEAGULL

With standouts Calista Flockhart and T.R. Knight, this full-cast performance transforms a dark drama marked by unfulfilled and mislaid passions into a hypnotic look at the lives of deeply flawed and painfully recognizable characters. Kosta loves Nina. Nina loves Trigorin. Trigorin is happily seduced by Nina's youth and adoration. And then there's Irina, mother of Kosta, lover of Trigorin, and leading lady of the Russian stage; she, too, loves adoration—and herself. As Kosta, T.R. Knight’s light, energetic voice conveys the audacity of youth but eventually deepens and slows in response to repeated rejection. Using her voice to suggest seduction and control, Calista Flockhart is magnetic as Irina. Listeners will be mesmerized. A.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]