Leaving the auditorium after the performance of Translations and noticing a poster advertising Patrick Kielty as a forthcoming attraction at the Lawrence Batley, I became aware of just how much Ireland has contributed to modern popular culture. Aside from the aforementioned funny man, there's ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ stalwart Terry Wogan, actor Jimmy Nesbitt and music legends U2...All British institutions in their own right.Ìý But as you settle down in front of Father Ted with a can of Extra-Cold, remember that the relationship between England and Ireland was a very different affair in the early 19th century.Ìý This relationship provides the backdrop for Brian Friel's story of a loss of nationalism, as England further tightens its grip on the Irish way of life.Ìý The play is set in a Hedge School in an 1833 Irish speaking community, around the time of the first Ordnance Survey of Ireland in which English Royal Engineers were given the task of converting Irish place names into the King's English. Translations centres on the likeable members of the parish of Baile Beag as their community becomes next in line for a linguistic makeover.Ìý The locals, who are an interesting mix of eccentric, youthful and downright bizarre, soon find their simple lives turned upside down by the return of prodigal son Owen who, complete with fine Edwardian dress and streetwise attitude, now has the job of helping the English soldiers to translate the Irish place names.Ìý With their way of life ebbing away and the Hedge School set to be a thing of the past with the opening of a new English-speaking National School, the locals face the threat of being made homeless by a ruthless English Captain after a chain of events leads to the disappearance of one of his Lieutenants.Ìý
 | | 'The themes of the play are just as strong today' |
The play is not brimming with events, and the action takes place in the same room over a few days - yet a strong cast ensures that a sound pace is maintained throughout.Ìý There's a noticeably energetic performance early on in the play by Eugene O'Hare who ensures that his character, Doalty, oozes with youthful zest and Irish charm. The arrival of Owen provides an equally energetic performance from Billy Carter as the country boy turned city gent who appears to have a moral crisis as the play goes on and he becomes torn between his roots and his new position with the King's Soldiers. But perhaps the biggest crisis ofÌýconscience comes from Lieutenant Yollard who soon begins to question the credibility of his task in hand.Ìý In an emotionally charged scene where Yollard, played by Tom Vaughan Lawler, is working with Owen, he reveals his love for the Irish way of life and refers to his task as an 'eviction of sorts'.Ìý The young Lieutenant becomes distanced further from his task when he falls in love with Irish girl Maire, and this seems to trigger the series of events that leads to his disappearance and the very existence of the community threatened.Ìý Simon Coates plays the nasty Captain Lancey, who in a pantomime situation would be greeted with boos and hisses every time his presence graced the stage. Yet, instead, the audience would be forgiven for feeling a hint of shame about what was being done to long-established communities in the name of progress. Of course any text that features characters not being able to understand the language of other characters has scope for some comedy moments and Translations had its fair share, particularly with Yollard's attempt to decipher what the locals are saying (although he develops something of a camp catchphrase by saying "Sorry? Sorry?!" after every bit of Irish spoken to him).Ìý Mairead McKinley also provides much amusement in his portrayal of loveable old rogue Jimmy, who randomly blurts out passages of Latin and fantasises about the Greek goddesses in an hilariously lecherous manner.Ìý Aside from the comedy values, though, the play is a powerful piece of text done justice to by a strong cast.Ìý It also raises some questions about the credibility of the English intrusion in 19th Century Ireland, and leads you to wonder what the Ireland of today would be like without the influence of the King's Soldiers. Also the fact that Friel has always maintained that Translations is not a political play and is primarily concerned with language makes it easy to explore the themes on a universal level.Ìý The themes of the play are just as strong in a modern day context where an understanding and respect of other cultures, or a lack of it, can lead to some dangerous consequences within our own community.Ìý |
