<DIV>A Methuen Student Edition of Chekhov's classic play in Michael Frayn's acclaimed translation.<BR><BR><P>When it opened in St Petersburg in 1896, The Seagull survived only five performances after a disastrous first night. Two years later it was revived by Nemirovich-Danchenko at the newly-founded Moscow Art Theatre with Stanslasky as Trigorin and was an immediate success. Checkhov's description of the play was characteristically self-mocking: "A comedy - 3F, 6M, four acts, rural scenery (a view over a lake); much talk of literature, little action, five bushels of love".<P>Michael Frayn's translation was commissioned by the Oxford Playhouse Company.<P><BR></P><BR></DIV>