| translations_programme_notes.docx |
Translations Programme Notes
Brian Friel’s play, Translations was the inaugural production of the brand nw theatre company, Field Day set up by Stephen Rea and Brian Friel himself, who were later joined by eminent figures such as Seamus Heaney and Seamus Deane. The play was put on in Derry’s Guildhall but travelled throughout Ireland. It is considered one of his finest, perhaps his very finest work.
The Set
A large raked, raised, platform, sloping downwards towards the audience takes up the centre of the stage. To the left of this platform a set of rough wooden steps with a wooden rail on the right, leads to an upper level, where there’s a table with ewer and basin. Books lie on the landing and there’s a bucket at the bottom of the stairs. A tall shelf to the right of the steps holds more books while the space underneath is occupied by household paraphernalia. The unseen area behind the bookshelf is used as a store for boxes and stools. To the right of the raised platform, closest to it, is a wooden chair and beside it a small square table complete with a ledger. There are heaps of books at the foot of the table and a couple of boxes are scattered as seats.
The Cast
Manus is played by Marty Rea. He is a slight fairly small figure, and walks with a pronounced limp with a brace on his right leg. He has a thin face, broad forehead and deep set eyes. He wears light beige trousers, a striped light shirt with a darker beige waistcoat over it. The foot of his good leg is bare but the brace which is attached to the other leg has a bandage which covers his right foot. Manus is one of Hugh’s sons.
Sarah is a slender figure of medium height. She has long, unkempt curly dark hair an oval face with a dimpled chin an engaging smile and large dark eyes. She wears a long mauve skirt in a dull fabric, gathered from the waist, with a white blouse tucked in at the waist. Her feet are bare. This part is played by Suzie Seweify.
Ronan Leahy takes the part of Jimmy Jack Cassie. He is a man of about 60, bent and old-looking. He has a grizzled beard and his hair is greying under an old smoking cap. He wears a shabby frock coat, once black, now greying and black knee britches. He has fingerless gloves on his hands and his feet are bare.
Maire is tall and slender. Her curly dark hair is fastened up on her head. She has an attractive face with deep set eyes a neat nose and fine mouth. She wears a long, gathered pink skirt with a white blouse tucked in at the waist. She looks neat and well-cared for. Zara Devlin takes the part of Maire.
Bridget is a lively figure. Shorter than Maire or Sarah she has a good figure and walks with a bounce in her step. Her long blonde hair is tied up on her head and she wears a long gathered green skirt with a paler green blouse tucked into it. Like the other characters she ahs bare feet. Ruby Campbell plays Bridget.
Doalty is a large well-built man, tall and broad. He has red curly hair and a matching red beard. His face is square and he has deep set eyes and well marked eyebrows. He arrives in brown trousers fastened with braces over a beige shirt. The shirt is only half buttoned and his shirt sleeves are rolled up, He also has bare feet. The part of Doalty is taken by Andy Doherty.
The Master, Hugh O’Donnell, is a slim man of medium height. He has well-trimmed black hair, a white beard and a square face with a powerful nose and high cheek bones. He wears a navy frock coat and top hat with cream trousers and a brown waistcoat. He looks far smarter than the other men and is wearing black shoes. This part is played by Brian Doherty.
Owen, Hugh’s other son, is played by Leonard Buckley. He is a strikingly handsome figure with blond curly hair. A broad forehead in an oval face, deep set eyes, a fine nose and firm mouth. In contrast to the other young people he wears a smart outfit, of a beige frock coat over beige trousers, a fawn waistcoat. His trousers are tucked into his black calf length boots.
Captain Lancy, played by Howard Teale is resplendent in military uniform with a scarlet tunic, with brass buttons down the front, trimmed with gold and black epaulettes on the shoulder and a black collar trimmed with gold. His black trousers, tucked into calf length black leather boots have a red stripe down the side. He carries his black peaked military cap. His imposing uniform is belied by his slight figure. He is short and slim, with narrow shoulders. His hairline is receding, he has a narrow face, large nose and thin lips. He leans forward condescending to the native Irish people.
Lieutenant Yolland wears the same uniform as his captain. He is also a fairly insignificant figure, made important by his uniform. Slightly taller than his fellow soldier he is also slim and slight with fairly narrow shoulders. He has short black hair, an oval face and deep-set dark eyes over a broad nose and wide mouth with thin lips. The part of the Lieutenant is played by Aidan Moriarty.
Brian Friel’s play, Translations was the inaugural production of the brand nw theatre company, Field Day set up by Stephen Rea and Brian Friel himself, who were later joined by eminent figures such as Seamus Heaney and Seamus Deane. The play was put on in Derry’s Guildhall but travelled throughout Ireland. It is considered one of his finest, perhaps his very finest work.
The Set
A large raked, raised, platform, sloping downwards towards the audience takes up the centre of the stage. To the left of this platform a set of rough wooden steps with a wooden rail on the right, leads to an upper level, where there’s a table with ewer and basin. Books lie on the landing and there’s a bucket at the bottom of the stairs. A tall shelf to the right of the steps holds more books while the space underneath is occupied by household paraphernalia. The unseen area behind the bookshelf is used as a store for boxes and stools. To the right of the raised platform, closest to it, is a wooden chair and beside it a small square table complete with a ledger. There are heaps of books at the foot of the table and a couple of boxes are scattered as seats.
The Cast
Manus is played by Marty Rea. He is a slight fairly small figure, and walks with a pronounced limp with a brace on his right leg. He has a thin face, broad forehead and deep set eyes. He wears light beige trousers, a striped light shirt with a darker beige waistcoat over it. The foot of his good leg is bare but the brace which is attached to the other leg has a bandage which covers his right foot. Manus is one of Hugh’s sons.
Sarah is a slender figure of medium height. She has long, unkempt curly dark hair an oval face with a dimpled chin an engaging smile and large dark eyes. She wears a long mauve skirt in a dull fabric, gathered from the waist, with a white blouse tucked in at the waist. Her feet are bare. This part is played by Suzie Seweify.
Ronan Leahy takes the part of Jimmy Jack Cassie. He is a man of about 60, bent and old-looking. He has a grizzled beard and his hair is greying under an old smoking cap. He wears a shabby frock coat, once black, now greying and black knee britches. He has fingerless gloves on his hands and his feet are bare.
Maire is tall and slender. Her curly dark hair is fastened up on her head. She has an attractive face with deep set eyes a neat nose and fine mouth. She wears a long, gathered pink skirt with a white blouse tucked in at the waist. She looks neat and well-cared for. Zara Devlin takes the part of Maire.
Bridget is a lively figure. Shorter than Maire or Sarah she has a good figure and walks with a bounce in her step. Her long blonde hair is tied up on her head and she wears a long gathered green skirt with a paler green blouse tucked into it. Like the other characters she ahs bare feet. Ruby Campbell plays Bridget.
Doalty is a large well-built man, tall and broad. He has red curly hair and a matching red beard. His face is square and he has deep set eyes and well marked eyebrows. He arrives in brown trousers fastened with braces over a beige shirt. The shirt is only half buttoned and his shirt sleeves are rolled up, He also has bare feet. The part of Doalty is taken by Andy Doherty.
The Master, Hugh O’Donnell, is a slim man of medium height. He has well-trimmed black hair, a white beard and a square face with a powerful nose and high cheek bones. He wears a navy frock coat and top hat with cream trousers and a brown waistcoat. He looks far smarter than the other men and is wearing black shoes. This part is played by Brian Doherty.
Owen, Hugh’s other son, is played by Leonard Buckley. He is a strikingly handsome figure with blond curly hair. A broad forehead in an oval face, deep set eyes, a fine nose and firm mouth. In contrast to the other young people he wears a smart outfit, of a beige frock coat over beige trousers, a fawn waistcoat. His trousers are tucked into his black calf length boots.
Captain Lancy, played by Howard Teale is resplendent in military uniform with a scarlet tunic, with brass buttons down the front, trimmed with gold and black epaulettes on the shoulder and a black collar trimmed with gold. His black trousers, tucked into calf length black leather boots have a red stripe down the side. He carries his black peaked military cap. His imposing uniform is belied by his slight figure. He is short and slim, with narrow shoulders. His hairline is receding, he has a narrow face, large nose and thin lips. He leans forward condescending to the native Irish people.
Lieutenant Yolland wears the same uniform as his captain. He is also a fairly insignificant figure, made important by his uniform. Slightly taller than his fellow soldier he is also slim and slight with fairly narrow shoulders. He has short black hair, an oval face and deep-set dark eyes over a broad nose and wide mouth with thin lips. The part of the Lieutenant is played by Aidan Moriarty.
