NINA, a new play by Caroline Williams inspired by Chekhov’s The Seagull, receives its world premiere at Battersea Arts Centre from 6 to 24 October 2026. A BAC Production, the play is co-directed by Deborah Pearson and Caroline Williams and explores coercion, power and creative expression through the relationship between actresses and a charismatic but increasingly unsettling director.
Casting has now been announced for the world premiere. The company includes Maya Bartley O’Dea, Samantha Begeman, Nina Bowers, Gemma Barnett, Joseph Payne and Rowan Polonski. The production runs in Battersea Arts Centre’s Council Chamber from 6–24 October 2026.
Considering NINA? It runs at Battersea Arts Centre from 6–24 October with Pay What You Can tickets, recommended at £16. The Council Chamber has step-free lift access and the production carries detailed content guidance below.
Overview
A series of actresses audition to play Nina in The Seagull for a charismatic, sinister director whose methods become increasingly unorthodox. Using Chekhov’s character as a starting point, NINA asks why so many women are drawn to a role shaped by male control and loss, and what happens when creative ambition collides with coercion.
Battersea Arts Centre describes the play as a meta-theatrical fever dream set in a post-#MeToo world, mixing humour, playfulness and unease while examining authority, survival and artistic expression.
Cast
- Maya Bartley O’Dea — NINA 01: An Actress
- Samantha Begeman — NINA 02: An Actress
- Nina Bowers — NINA 03: An Actress
- Gemma Barnett — NINA 04: An Actress
- Joseph Payne — MAN 01: The Writer
- Rowan Polonski — MAN 02: The Director
Creative Team
- Writer: Caroline Williams
- Co-directors: Deborah Pearson and Caroline Williams
- Dramaturg: Christopher Brett Bailey
- Video Design: Daniel Denton
- Lighting Design: Marty Langthorne
- Composition/Sound Design: AJ Turner
- Movement: Laura Dannequin
- Set and Costume Designer: Tomás Palmer
- Casting Director: Nadine Rennie CDG
Production Images
Scroll through the first-look imagery and cast portraits for NINA. Main production image: © Aimee Capstick.
Dates, Venue and Tickets
- Dates: 6–24 October 2026
- Venue: Battersea Arts Centre, Council Chamber
- Times: 7.30pm and selected 2.30pm performances
- Tickets: Pay What You Can, recommended price £16, plus transaction fee
- Age recommendation: 16+
Accessibility & Sensory Information
The Council Chamber is on the first floor with step-free access via a lift. Battersea Arts Centre also offers free personal assistant/companion tickets for visitors who require support.
Current content guidance includes gunshots, blood, a scene depicting masturbation, a scene depicting childbirth and reference to child death. BAC notes that guidance may be updated while the show is in development.
Why See It?
NINA is one to watch for anyone interested in new writing, feminist reinterpretations of classic theatre and work that questions the power dynamics behind performance itself. Its use of The Seagull as a lens for contemporary creative relationships gives it a strong Books & Adaptations crossover too.
More adaptation-led theatre: NINA sits neatly between new writing and classic-text reinterpretation. Continue into From Covers to Curtains for more stage adaptations and reimagined stories.
FAQ
When is NINA at Battersea Arts Centre?
NINA runs from 6 to 24 October 2026.
What is NINA based on?
The play is inspired by Chekhov’s The Seagull, particularly the character Nina and the power dynamics surrounding actresses, directors and creative ambition.
What is the age guidance?
Battersea Arts Centre recommends the production for ages 16+.
More Theatre on Clarissa’s Corner
Explore more London theatre and new writing across Clarissa’s Corner, or continue into From Covers to Curtains for more theatre inspired by books, plays and stories.
