Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett is set to make a triumphant return to the stage after six years, taking on the iconic role of Arkadina in Anton Chekhov’s play The Seagull. The highly anticipated production will also feature Strike actor Tom Burke and will run for six weeks at the prestigious Barbican Theatre in London starting in February.
Director Thomas Ostermeier expressed his excitement about working with Blanchett, calling her a “once-in-a-generation actress.” The new adaptation of The Seagull will reunite Blanchett and Burke, who recently collaborated on Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming film Black Bag.
Blanchett’s character, Arkadina, is a celebrated actress whose larger-than-life persona dominates both the stage and her personal relationships. As she navigates conflicts during a weekend at her family’s country estate, themes of ambition, vanity, disappointment, and desire are explored.
The production, produced by Wessex Grove, promises to be a must-see event for theatre enthusiasts. Blanchett’s last performance at the Barbican was in 2012’s Big and Small, and her last theatre role was in 2019’s When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other at the National Theatre.
With a stellar film career that includes acclaimed roles in Carol, Blue Jasmine, and The Aviator, Blanchett has been nominated for eight acting Oscars, winning twice. Burke, known for his work in The Wonder and The Souvenir, as well as the BBC series Strike, is sure to bring depth and nuance to the role of Trigorin in this exciting production of The Seagull.
