CROYDEN'S CORNER
by Margaret Croyden
Translations
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| Margaret Croyden is a theater reviewer and essayist for the New York Theatre Wire. | |
''Translations''
by Brian Friel
Directed by Garry Hynes
Biltmore Theatre
West 47 Street
Produced by Manhattan Theatre Club
212-239-6200
www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com
Reviewed February 6, 2007 by Margaret Croyden
Brian Friel is one of Ireland's most famous playwrights. His resume is huge--too
huge to list here. So are his awards: a Tony for his magnificent "Dancing
at Lughnasa," a Lifetime Achievement Award from the "Irish Times"
and best of all, favorable reviews for most of his work. Only last season
his "Faith Healer," a revival with Ralph Fiennes and Cherry Jones
was a huge success on Broadway. Brian Friel is well loved in New York, so
that theater goers looked forward to his revival of "Translations."
And I don't think they were disappointed. "Translations" is a
serious play about British imperialism and its domination of Ireland and
the Irish language. The scene is set in a dreary makeshift school in a small
town of Baile Beag/Ballybeg in County Donegal. A small group of young people
are trying to become educated. Their teacher is a serious drunk who is fluent
in English and knows a good deal of history and literature, especially the
ancient world of the Greeks. His sidekick, a bedraggled old man (also a
drunk) can quote from "Ulysses" and other famous literary and
historical figures. The Irish people supposedly speak Gaelic (which we hear
as English) but the British occupiers who enter into the lives of this group
of Irishmen speak only English. The teacher has two sons; one takes over
the teaching chores occasionally when his father is too drunk and the other,
educated in English, is hired by the British to remap the town according
to British specifications and he willingly tackles this job, unaware of
the consequences. There are also three young women, a deaf mute painfully
learning to speak; an enchanting beauty who longs to escape to America;
and the third who is satisfied to settle down with the locals. Into this
group come two British officers, one is obviously brutal and the other,
a sweet young man who, in his naivete, falls in love with the beautiful
woman, although they cannot communicate: she speaks Irish and he English.
Yet they sense each other. And when this meeting is enacted, it is one of
the enchanting scenes in the play. That this love affair does not end happily
is not surprising. Yet it encompasses the basic meaning in the play: love
is beyond language and can be felt silently. On the other hand, language
is communication, a given, that cannot be separated from one's life and
country. A lack of communication brings with it not only dislocation, disruptions,
and unforseen difficulties but a loss of our essential being.
Clearly the British, with its long time domination of the Irish, are not
only cruel occupiers, but contemptuously want to destroy (or change) not
only the map of Ireland and its established towns, but the Irish language
as well.
Brian Fiel writes on many levels. Dramatically this play is more interesting
than his "Faith Healer," a play with three monologues that ultimately
became static. "Translations" has more action, more drama, less
philosophy, and more human emotion. With a season of talky, pretensions
plays from London, Brian Friel knows how to write a serious play about politics
and history without lecturing us. He dramatize situations, be they historical
or political. The characters in "Translations" are real people;
their hardships and motivations are transparent and the overall arc of the
play is dramatically constructed.
"Translations" works not only because of the playwright but because
of the unique talent of the director Garry Hynes. A native of Ireland, she
has had a successful career directing there. This is obvious--the feel of
the play is absolutely authentic. I suppose it take a real Irish person
to deliver this kind of production.
As for the actors: a well coordinated company work together as a team, something
rarely seen on Broadway. One standout is the well known Niall Buggy in the
lead role of the teacher. His characterization of an Irishman who loves
knowledge and loves the bottle as well is seamless; he lives on the stage
as if it were his real life. The rest of the cast are quite remarkable,
in particular Morgan Hallen. As the deaf mute who painfully struggles with
speech and who is responsible for the denouement (which I can't reveal here)
is particularly moving. Without any dialogue she has the most difficult
role: her handling of it is an artistic accomplishment
Watching these actors at work was a pleasure. Particularly admirable in
"Translations" are those long wonderful quotes from the literary
greats eloquently delivered by Neill Buggy who personifies the Irishmen's
love of language.
Every once in a while a production comes around which encompasses everything
the theater should be. "Translations" is such a production. Hurray!
Margaret Croyden's latest book is "Conversations
with Peter Brook, 1970-2000" (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
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