Paul Duncan as Manus, Melanee Deschambeault as Bridget, Becky Zacharias as Sarah, Glorya Thompson as Maire, Ian Bastin as Hugh, Sherab Rabzyor Yolmo as Jimmy and Patrick Bellemare as Doalty IN "TRANSLATIONS" // PHOTO CREDIT: BLACK HOLE THEATRE COMPANY
Curtains up
Black Hole Theatre Company's first show of 2017 hits the stage
The Black Hole Theatre Company is raising the curtains on 2017 with Translations.
The play is set in 1833 in the rural townland of Ballybeg/Baile Beag (literally, “small town”) in county Donegal in Ireland — the fictional place where playwright Brian Friel sets many of his plays.
The show concerns the actions and reactions of people in this community at a hedge school in an old barn just as this informal (and illegal) schooling is going to be replaced by a new National School with all subjects taught in English. At the same time British Army Engineers are working on an ordnance survey of the whole country which will rationalize and, often, anglicize all the names of places on the map. An Irish woman and English surveyor fall in love despite being unable to speak to one another, while the danger of crossing this cultural divide lurks in the background.
“It was a great pleasure working with the cast as we discovered the play onstage together,” said Bill Kerr, associate professor and the show’s director. “From the very first reading of the play the actors demonstrated an instinctive connection to the characters. Indeed, for some moments we have spent the ensuing weeks trying to make sure we can recreate the spontaneous reaction every night. They are a diverse and talented group.”
Translations runs in the John J. Conklin Theatre at the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall beginning January 18 at 7pm. Other show times are listed below. Tickets are $18 each or $12 for students and seniors. To reserve in advance, call the box office at 204-474-6880.
SHOW TIMES:
January 18 – 7pm
January 19-21, 25-28 – 8pm
January 22 – 2pm
January 24 – 7pm (talk back follows the show)