Translations
Review by Eluned Gramich
Firstly, the accents were utterly convincing; especially as most of the cast (I assume) were Irish. Owen (Toby Lloyd) had an especially tricky role to play, switching between an Irish accent and his English one as the play moved from an imagined Gaelic language to English, but the transitions were near seamless. The acting generally was fantastic: Jimmy (Tim Kiely) and Hugh (Laurie Blair) were believable as much older – and often drunken – men, balancing the farcical with the earnest. There were moments of great poignancy and tenderness too. Maire (Nadine Gilmour) and Yolland’s love-scene, for example, sees the two communicating through the medium of Irish-Gaelic place-names, since they are unable to speak each other’s language. Yolland (Timothy Coleman), particularly, was realistic in his portrayal of a well-meaning colonial servant, who ends up being as much a victim to the imperialist programme as the Irish inhabitants.
The acting was complimented by the staging and the superb eye for props. The scene was set out in such caring detail, a far cry from the usual student theatre which stops at three or four objects. There was straw, saw-dust, piles of worn books, old maps, stools, chalk and slate, which together created the setting of a musty schoolroom in a rural village. All the minutiae of staging, scenery, and accents succeeded in creating a dramatic scene of the utmost realism. There was not one moment of dullness, because I was taken in by the story being played out before me. The only criticism I could levy is that the closing speech was delivered from a corner of the stage where (I guess) only a quarter of the audience could actually see the actor. But this minor fault was overwhelmed by the quality of the production as a whole, and all I could do is urge everyone to go and see it.
Translations
Review by Charlotte Mulliner
From the gigantic barn doors to the huge list of ‘thank yous’ on the back of the programme, you can tell Barbarian Productions have given this play their all and it certainly pays off.
The stage is set evocatively with straw bales, rustic looking generic farm implements and many books. It is very well done and creates a lovely stage picture as well as lending itself well to the actor’s use. The costumes likewise, in general complement the set and together they form a cohesive setting for the show. The English army officers’ jackets were slightly overwhelming in their scarlet starchness and were the only aspect of costuming that looked perhaps a little ‘stagey’ however this was no real problem as it also served to highlight the distinction between the two sets of characters, the English and Irish.
‘Translations’ as any English AS student will know is an interesting mix of the political and the personal. The directors tell us in their programme note that they aimed to create an ensemble dynamic whereby the play ‘lives and dies on the connection between characters’. I am happy to say that their aim was largely successful: the relationship between Yolland (Tim Coleman) and Owen (Toby Lloyd) provided excellent moments of comedy while Jimmy Jack (Tim Kiely) and Hugh created some lovely pathos. However all the relationships were effectively portrayed and at times very moving. Especially towards the end the actors all seemed to hit their stride and the last ensemble scene was by far the most affecting of the play. The political side cannot help but rear its head and Captain Lancey played by Vyvyan Almond was an enjoyable blend of comic and menace as the cold hand of imperialism.
The whole cast turned in strong performances, with only very occasional lapses in accent. The director’s choice to have English spoken with an ‘English’ accent as opposed to Irish was a clear though somewhat obvious choice and they could just as well have trusted on the reaction of the cast to convey the language dynamic. However this is a small criticism and my only disappointment was the lack of menace built up around the mysterious Donnelly twins. First night nerves I’m sure can be blamed for any rushing of the pacing and occasional moments like Owen’s entrance could be strengthened if a little more time were afforded to them. All in all an accomplished performance of a brilliant, if difficult script.
