Star Trek actor will boldly bring the work of Chekhov to life (not to be confused with Chekov).
Star Trek's Chris Pine will make his debut on the London theater scene in a modern-day update of the Anton Chekhov classic, Ivanov. Based on the Russian playwright’s four-act drama, Pine has been cast to portray the play’s protagonist, Nikolai Ivanov in writer and director Simon Stone’s reimagined version of the classic tale. For those Trekkies who might not be familiar with the story, check out the synopsis courtesy of the UK’s famed Bridge Theatre below:
Nikolai has forgotten how to be happy. Or was he ever? Is it just burnout? He’s married to the perfect woman, he’s had a successful career: he should be heading into mid-life feeling confident and settled. Sure there’s some debts piling up, and his wife has been laid low with unexplained illnesses recently but they’ve jumped bigger hurdles before. What exactly is gnawing at him? Why does the world feel like it’s falling apart? Maybe he just needs to shake it off. There’s a party at the Lebedevs tonight!
As he tumbles from misstep to faux-pas Nikolai tries to resuscitate his lust for life. Anna sacrificed everything to marry him: her conservative parents even disowned her because of his political leanings. He knows he owes her happiness. He just can’t seem to remember where he left it. Not that going out partying every night is helping her opinion of him very much.
But the alternative is staying at home and letting her see how miserable he is. Something needs to change, they all know it. Except when change comes it’s in the absurd, undignified form life often presents it to us in: an affair. Can Nikolai save his marriage, his will to live, and his career all at once? Or was it always destined to go tits up?
The London Theatre Company is working in collaboration with Wouter van Ransbeek to bring the classic play to life on the Bridge. While Ivanov won’t begin its theatrical run until July 2026, tickets are already available online so lovers of the stage can reserve the best possible seats. The price range for tickets vary anywhere from £29.50 to £195.00 depending on which performance and corresponding seats patrons purchase. There are also group and educational discounts available.
Ivanov contains mature themes, so the “initial age guidance” is set at 12 years old. It should also be noted that there is a special captioned performance scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. GMT. Plus, an audio described and touch tour will be held a week earlier on Aug. 22, at 2:30 p.m.
The curtain will rise on Ivanov every night at 7:30 p.m. from July 4 through Sept. 19, 2026, except for Sundays, and that is the only night the Bridge Theatre will be dark. Plus, there are special matinees scheduled every Thursday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Well, Trekkies, are you excited about Chris Pine making his stage debut in London? We all love him as Captain Kirk in Star Trek’s Kelvin Timeline films, but he has done a lot of live theater, too. It’s been about 15 years, but that isn't dissuading the talented thespian. To put it in Pine’s own words when it comes to articulating his level of excitement, the actor said while speaking with his director (via the Bridge Theatre):
“This opportunity to workshop Chekhov in a way that you can attach it molecularly to your own experience, to try to bring as much humanism as possible to it, yeah… I can’t wait. I’m very excited."
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Live long and prosper, Trekkies!