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Translations
By Brian Friel
Directed by Jennifer Shook
Produced by Caffeine Theatre
At Lincoln Square Arts Center
4754 N. Leavitt
Chicago, IL
Call 312-409-4778, tickets $15 2-for-1 tickets on Thursdays & Sundays
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 6 pm
Added Saturdays at 3 pm Nov, 3, 10 & 17
Running time is 2 hours, 15 minutes with intermission
Through November 18, 2007
Brian Friel’s 1980 masterpiece, Translations, foreshadows the Irish “Troubles.”
Prolific Irish playwright, Brian Friel’s 1980 masterwork, Translations, foreshadows the turbulence to come in late 19th Century and 20th Century Ireland. Director Jennifer Shook’s splendid, fast paced production features excellent Irish brogues and spirited acting. With a realistic rural set (designed by Kristina M. Stinson), we are in 1833 County Donegal on the western edge of Ireland near the present day boundary with Northern Ireland. In 1833, most of Ireland spoke only “Irish” (Gaelic) and the British government occupying Ireland decided to establish National English-speaking schools while re-mapping changing or translating all the town names, roads, bays, rivers and historic places from Gaelic to English.
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This depiction of rural Irish life is after the bardic tradition faded, after the Act of Union with Britain, but before the potato famine, before the Young Ireland movement, before Yeasts. Ireland was not a state and the Irish Catholics were forbidden by the Penal Codes to teach Latin and Greek in secret “hedge schools.” Hugh (Jim Schutter) and his son Manus (Jeremy Van Meter) run a hedge school in their barn near the village of Baile Beg (Ballybeg). When their English educated son, Owen (Jeff Duhigg) arrive home after six years from Dublin with two British Army officers charged with re-mapping or translating the parish’s names from Gaelic to English, he is greeted with respect by Hugh and Manus. Only the youthful Doalty (Jordan Hoisington) is wary of the British soldiers.
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The British Lieutenant Yolland (Jason Beck) quickly falls in love with Ireland, its people, and culture. He works with Owen respectfully as he gains genuine admiration for Owen and the folks. Playwright Brian Friel weaves the seeds of Irish resentment when Yolland falls for the beautiful Maire (Jessica Bennett). Manus and Doalty are suspicious of all things British. Small acts of resistance take place but things get ugly when Yolland is caught kissing Maire after a dance. Mysteriously, the officer disappears and Captain Lancey (Scott Olson) issues an edict stating the if the officer isn’t found in 48 hours—he will have all the live stock in the area shot and if the officer isn’t found within another 48 hours—he start demolishing half the homes and businesses in the parish.
Friel is setting the stage for the “Troubles” that beset Ireland for the next hundred years. Translations aptly shows how language both holds a society together and keeps it from adapting to social and political progress. Language difficulties leads to suspicion, confusion and misunderstanding. We see the how far two lovers will go to overcome language barriers.
Friel’s brilliant script is well acted with Jason Beck’s Yolland, Jessica Bennett’s Maire, Jim Schutter’s Hugh and Jeremy Van Meter’s Manus all doing excellent work in rich authentic Irish brogues. This masterwork is in good hands here. This is a cautionary tale of the effects of language on both the occupying force and the local society. You’d be hard pressed to see a finer drama especially for only $15 per ticket.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: October 28, 2007
Jeff Recommended
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