Tennessee Williams's free adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull brings to life the story of Constantine, the sensitive young writer, whose quest for love, art and acceptance is larger than life itself. On his Uncle Sorin's lakeside estate, Constantine's new play premieres to disdainful reactions from the family and friends who have gathered: Masha, the estate manager's daughter, and in love with Constantine; Medvedenko, the local school teacher and in love with Masha; Dorn, a lecherous doctor; Shamrayev, manager of the estate; and his wife Paulina. Constantine's mother, the famous actress (and prima donna) Madame Arkadina, is not one to suppress her true feelings on her son's contribution to the theatre: she abhors it. Humiliated, Constantine sulks over his life, his art, and dotes on the play's star, the woman he loves, Nina, who is soon more than infatuated with Madame Arkadina's companion, the established writer Boris Trigorin.
The Notebook of Trigorin premiered at the Vancouver Playhouse in Vancouver, BC in 1981 under the direction of Terence Shank.