Royal Grammar School Newcastle (RGS) premieres its production of Translations by renowned Irish playwright Brian Friel on February 11th at 7pm at the school’s Performing Arts Centre for a two day run.

The 1980 play’s author described the play as “a play about language and only about language,” set in a fictional village, Baile Beag, which means Small Town.  Though Friel said that his play “should have been written in Irish,” the play is written in English to engage not only in the issues of imperalist language at the time the play is set, but also in the current political and cultural issues.

“It is a really beautiful and lyrical play,” said Sarah Davison, the director of Translations. “Though it is decades old, it is still modern drama, and modern dramas are often very harsh and naturalistic.”

Davison continued: “The words and writing are really rich, so the key for audience to enjoy the play is to listen. The play is about language, and it is challenging; it’s not an easy play for casts.”

Translations sets a challenge to its young cast: not only must they adopt an Irish accent for the play, but their characters’ lives demand they pretend not to know English.

“We are so lucky to have these talented students, it is challenging for them to pretend they cannot understand English, but they have been really adaptable – it is always difficult to have accents in a play, and they make a tricky balance,” said Davison.

The cast members are upper sixth students in RGS, who were chosen from an open audition in the autumn. The preparation of the play has been ongoing for almost three months, and aside from rehearsal, students have also been engaged in designing sets.

“It’s very enjoyable to see students in different environment outside the classroom, they have done really well,” said Davison.

Davison’s interpretation of the play introduces one new element: a Gaelic dance in the second act of the play, adding to the love story between Irish girl Máire and English soldier Yolland. The idea for the dance came from within the student cast, Davison explains.

“One of our cast is excellent: he taught us the Irish jigs and also the Gaelic dance. It is really interesting, but we take no credit at all. It’s a lovely scene of the play, which is really about the connection you try to make, when you cannot connect with the language, you cannot understand one another, and it is what this play about.”

For tickets of Translations, please contact the office of the RGS Performing Arts Centre by email, or by phone – 0191 2128930 – to reserve a seat.