THEATRE / On theatre

When actors portray actors, or worse, actors acting, it can become an excuse for over-the-top self-indulgence. Chekhov's The Seagull, which is previewing now at the National, features both the celebrated actress Arkadina (played by Judi Dench, right) and the youthful aspirant Nina, performing in Konstantin's experimental play. How does director John Caird avoid predictable performances?

'That can be true of any ill-considered portrayal of a theatrical or of any kind of character,' he points out. 'You might cast someone who is 75 years old to play an old person, and they start playing old. You have to tell them to play young then.'

Despite an illustrious career (Les Miserables, Nicholas Nickleby etc) this is Caird's first Chekhov. 'To do Chekhov well, you need actors who can amalgamate their craft and what they are in real life,' he suggests. 'The actors have to draw on themselves more than in other plays, but what you mustn't see is anybody acting. Judi is a great master at that. The point about Arkadina is that she's a great actress - if you like, she's Judi Dench, though not the same personality, of course.

'One of the misconceptions about Chekhov is that actors play the characters as others describe them. When Konstantin says that Arkadina's not a great actor, it's a bitter and disappointed son's view, so you have to look at people's motives for what they say.'

Helen McCrory, as Nina, faces the hard task of acting acting, but without appearing to be acting. 'What we concentrated on was how completely young and inexperienced she is,' says Caird. 'She must be obviously talented, but with no control. She lacks the artificiality of learned craft, but ironically that artificiality is something that can ultimately destroy an artist.'

The Seagull opens on 7 Jul at the National Theatre (071-928 2252)