Vain, insecure, heartfelt and heartless, the famous actress Arkadina demands to be the centre of attention. Her son Konstantin, a pretentious unpublished writer, is in love with Nina, who in turn is in love with the famous writer Trigorin – who is Arkadina’s lover. But Konstantin is not unloved himself – Masha is in love with Konstantin, and Medvedenko is in love with Masha… When, within this shifting circle of love and ambition, Konstantin kills a seagull and lays it at the feet of his estranged lover, his violent act foreshadows the shattering events that are to come.