Playwrights often draw inspiration from their own lives to make their work relatable to an audience, and Brian Friel’s “Translations” is no different. Friel drew from political differences and language barriers in Northern Ireland in the 1980s when he published the script.

Although the playwright has previously said that the play is “a play about language and only about language,” the messages drawn from the script are much stronger.

Set in Ireland in 1833, “Translations” poses relevant questions about understanding other cultures and differing views on politics. But arguably more importantly, the play discusses the need to preserve culture in a constantly changing world.

Presented by the Department of Drama, “Translations” opens on Friday and will run through Nov. 23. It is staged in the Arthur Storch Theater at the Syracuse Stage/SU Drama Theater Complex, 820 E. Genesee St., and tickets are available at the theater’s box office.

The show begins when a group of Irish students are greeted by two members of the British Army, which is quickly followed by cultural misunderstandings and misinterpretations due to the evident language barrier. The British Army is in Ireland because its members have been asked to map out and rename places from the traditional Gaelic names to the King’s English.

The remainder of the show discusses the problems that arise from the obvious language barrier, and a division between cultures and class is evident. The conflict that resounds from the two groups’ cultural differences creates a timeless situation, therefore making “Translations” still relevant to today’s audiences, despite being authored more than three decades ago.

The Department of Drama’s students are performing “Translations” in its original Gaelic and British accents, and have been working on them since the first rehearsal under the direction of Gerardine Clark, a professor of drama in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“Translations” was first performed in Northern Ireland in September 1980. In 1981, it was staged at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City and then revived on Broadway for a short stint in 1995, and then again in 2007.

Published on November 12, 2013 at 12:47 am

Contact Kristin: klross01@syr.edu | @kriskross22