“The division of language, and how that can be positive or negative”. That’s how Garrett Reese, senior year student at Longwood described “Translations”.
“Translations” is the Theatre department’s upcoming show, starting Wednesday, Sept. 26 and running through Saturday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.
While short descriptions can be nice, Harrison Runion, a junior Longwood student also in the cast for “Translations,” was nearby to give a longer description of the show.
“Set in 19th century Ireland, it's right before the potato famine and it's about when the British come over and start Anglo-sizing all the Irish place names,” said Runion.
As Reese explained, “My character is actually based on an actual person. His name was William Yolland. He did not initially want to be a solider, at first he was on the terms of literature.”
The man in question, William Yolland, was an English military surveyor who’s most famous for his numerous attempts to pass preventative ordinances to help stop railway accidents.
Runion detailed a particularly vocal challenge the show presented.
“We are actually doing all the accents required of the show,” said Runion. “We’re doing two different British accents; one is Estuary and one is Received Pronunciation. Then we’re doing Southern Irish, for the Irish characters.”
One of the show’s biggest themes is identity, according to Assistant Professor, Acting, Voice and Movement Lacy Klinger.
”That’s one of the reasons I picked the play,” said Klinger, who also is the show’s director. “I think today especially there’s so much importance placed on finding your identifier, be it sex or gender, political or not, what side of politics you fall on and if you’re religious or spiritual.”
“I think there are still questions being asked about ‘Well, it‘s just a label. It’s not really going to inform who you are as a person,’ when everything in our behavior as humans suggest that, no, a word does have power and it's important that we have the right words and the right names for thing otherwise we feel like a part of our self is lost.” said Klinger.
It’s easy to see modern day parallels with the show’s theme and within its plot. The British come to Ireland and reshape the land and culture as they see fit but Klinger insists this show is for all audiences.
“The way we talk about it, it makes it sounds like its this dark, dramatic, tragic play for two and a half hours, but it's very funny. The characters are very different. There’s a teacher who’s the town drunk,” said Klinger.
The show’s large ensemble also provides for a large cast of characters to entertain and also various opportunities to connect with.
“With an ensemble show, it gives individual audience members more of an opportunity to connect with someone specifically,” said Klinger.
“I think anybody can find a piece of themselves in each and every one of these characters. You can find an element of who you are in one or two, if not most of them,” said Harrison in reference to the cast's ability to connect.
“Translations” runs from Wednesday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Sept. 29 at 7:00 p.m., with matinee performances on Saturday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 30 at 2:00 p.m.. Shows are located in the Communication Studies and Theatre Center (CSTAC) on the first floor in the Mainstage Theatre. Tickets may be purchased at the box office in CSTAC. Ticket pricing is as follows: $6.00 for Longwood students (ID required), $8.00 for senior citizens, other students, Longwood faculty and staff and $10 for general admission.
Longwood's Theatre department prepares for their upcoming show, "Translations" premiering on Wednesday, Sept. 26 through Sunday, Sept. 30.
Garrett D. Reese (left), a Longwood Theatre senior dancing with Mary Jo Corley (right), a Longwood Theatre senior, in the upcoming production "Translations".
