Britain's What's On Event Guide
Translations - a classic Irish play by Brian Friel
Synopsis
What happens when you rob a community of their means of communication? Owen, the prodigal son, returns from Dublin back to rural Donegal and his Irish-speaking community. He brings with him two British army officers, who intend to create a map of the area, replacing the Gaelic place names with English. A hedge-school, where classes are conducted in Irish, is also to be replaced by a national education system in which English is the official language. It is an administrative act with radical consequences.
This modern masterpiece, set in 1833 in the fictional village of Baile Beag/Ballybeg, is a powerful account of nationhood, which sees the turbulent relationship between England and Ireland play out in one quiet community. Friel brilliantly explores the idea that communication is not about language. It is about understanding what makes us different from each other.
Praise for the play
“What strikes one is Friel’s ability to find complex meanings in a simple story and to capture Ireland, in 1833, at a moment of historical transition… Friel’s masterly play is steeped in irony and itself beautifully written” Michael Billington, The Guardian
“the play…confronts soaring questions about the nature of language — how it connects people to their homes…and what happens when a native tongue is erased.” Naveen Kumar, New York Times
“a timeless study of change and adaptation” Helen Meany, The Guardian
Commenting on the production, Director, Tom O’Connor, said: “In the tight community of Baile Beag the full effects of change create a set of dynamics which cause life never to be the same. Laughter, love and tears along the way, in a play where not a single word is wasted, nor a single character without substance. Please come along to see it, an experience you will not regret.”
What happens when you rob a community of their means of communication? Owen, the prodigal son, returns from Dublin back to rural Donegal and his Irish-speaking community. He brings with him two British army officers, who intend to create a map of the area, replacing the Gaelic place names with English. A hedge-school, where classes are conducted in Irish, is also to be replaced by a national education system in which English is the official language. It is an administrative act with radical consequences.
This modern masterpiece, set in 1833 in the fictional village of Baile Beag/Ballybeg, is a powerful account of nationhood, which sees the turbulent relationship between England and Ireland play out in one quiet community. Friel brilliantly explores the idea that communication is not about language. It is about understanding what makes us different from each other.
Praise for the play
“What strikes one is Friel’s ability to find complex meanings in a simple story and to capture Ireland, in 1833, at a moment of historical transition… Friel’s masterly play is steeped in irony and itself beautifully written” Michael Billington, The Guardian
“the play…confronts soaring questions about the nature of language — how it connects people to their homes…and what happens when a native tongue is erased.” Naveen Kumar, New York Times
“a timeless study of change and adaptation” Helen Meany, The Guardian
Commenting on the production, Director, Tom O’Connor, said: “In the tight community of Baile Beag the full effects of change create a set of dynamics which cause life never to be the same. Laughter, love and tears along the way, in a play where not a single word is wasted, nor a single character without substance. Please come along to see it, an experience you will not regret.”
Translations runs at the Loft Theatre nightly from Wednesday 21st February to Saturday 2nd March, except for Monday 26th February. Performances begin at 7.30pm, apart from Sunday 25th, when the show starts at 5.00pm
Tickets can be booked at any time online at www.lofttheatrecompany.com, by emailing boxoffice@lofttheatrecompany.com, or by calling 01926 830 680 (answer phone service).
Free tickets for 16-25 year olds can only be booked in person (with proof of age) at the Loft Theatre Box Office
Tickets can be booked at any time online at www.lofttheatrecompany.com, by emailing boxoffice@lofttheatrecompany.com, or by calling 01926 830 680 (answer phone service).
Free tickets for 16-25 year olds can only be booked in person (with proof of age) at the Loft Theatre Box Office
The Loft Theatre, Victoria Colonnade, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 3AA
Wed 21 Feb to Sat 2 March
Website:
lofttheatrecompany.com/