TRANSLATIONS. To 11 October.
Manchester
TRANSLATIONS
by Brian Friel
Library Theatre To 11 October 2003
Mon-Thu 7.30pm; Fri-Sat 8pm Mat Sat 3pm 8 October 2pm
Audio-described 9 October, 11 October 3pm
BSL Signed 8 October 7.30pm
Pre-show Talk 2 October,11 October 3pm
Runs 2hr 40min Two intervals
TICKETS: 0161 236 7110
Review: Timothy Ramsden 30 September
Manchester generally does Friel's Ballybeg proud with a fine Irish cast.Names are important in the North this autumn. In Mold, John Proctor protests his name's integrity from The Crucible, while in Roger Haines' strong Library revival of Brian Friel's modern classic, place-names are the only words mutually understood by lovers Yolland, Norfolk man in the British army, and Irishwoman Maire.
The British stand for efficiency and ruthlessness. The inhabitants of the hedge-school run by Hugh and son Manus have poetry and poverty - well caught in Judith Croft's setting with its irregular, ramshackle outlines, and earthy, stone-squared floor. Apart from leaving the lovers' faces awkwardly-shadowed in their romantic high moment, Nick Richings' lighting colours the scene aptly, from the lightness of Ballybeg's first warm summer in years to the subdued final act, when rain and tragedy fall simultaneously.
Haines captures Friel's interplay of ebullience and intensity. Damian Kearney's playful Doalty horses around with Bridget, but strikes a warning screeching on his slate when she unadvisedly mentions the sinister Donnelly twins.
And Cathy Ryan, encouraged from her silent world by Manus, then frightened back into it by Lancey, movingly catches the humiliation when her beloved tutor busily ignores the words he's spent so much time professionally coaxing from her. Her final, deliberate shakes of the head show she's wilfully retreating from a world of speech which has unwittingly brought him grief.
As her tormentor, Mark Payton has a suitable stiffness - born of an unimaginative mind - lecturing the Irish who quote Homer and Virgil but know no word of English. It's only with his unsoldierly accomplice, the lover of Irish names who's here to give everywhere English names, that Haines' production falters. At times, Tim Mitchell's Yolland comes close to a grinning idiot. Aislinn Mangan's Maire beautifully balances the practical countrywoman and the dreamily lovesick girl; it's hard to understand this dairymaid's fondness for her military milksop.
There's fine work in Frank Grimes' authoritatively greybearded old Hugh, lost in Latin, Greek and poteen, and especially - Liam O' Brien as his other son, hired as army interpreter, bright enough to see both sides and imbued with practical energy and wisdom.
Manus: Brendan Foster
Sarah: Cathy Ryan
Jimmy Jack: Donncha Crowley
Maire: Aislinn Mangan
Doalty: Damian Kearney
Bridget: Emma Kearney
Hugh: Frank Grimes
Owen: Liam O' Brien
Captain Lancey: Mark Payton
Lieutenant Yolland: Tim Mitchell
Director: Roger Haines
Designer: Judith Croft
Lighting: Nick Richings
Sound: Paul Gregory
Voice coach: Tim Charrington
Assistant director: Adam Quayle
2003-10-01 08:15:02