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Translations Tickets

National Theatre - Olivier

Brian Friel’s Translations comes to the National Theatre for a strictly limited season, starring Colin Morgan and Ciaran Hinds. A play about a divided nations and a country’s identity, this thrilling production sees lives irrevocably changed when two English cartographers and an Irish translator arrive at the village.

What happens when a land is robbed of its language?

Irish playwright Brian Friel’s 1980 post-colonial play Translations runs at the National’s Olivier Theatre, featuring a stellar cast including Colin Morgan and Ciaran Hinds. A play about a divided nation and a country’s experience of losing its identity, this thrilling production runs for a strictly limited season.

Translations takes place in the fictional village of Baile Beag, where life is quiet and content. But when two English cartographers and a mysterious Irish translator arrive to translate Irish place names into English, daily life is disrupted. As the mapmakers get to know the villagers, professional distance deteriorates and lives are irrevocably changed.

Colin Morgan, who is best-known for playing the title role in the BBC’s Merlin, stars as Owen. Morgan initially made a name for himself in the Young Vic’s production of Vernon God Little, and has since built up credits at the Old Vic, Shakespeare’s Globe and the West End.

Further casting includes Olivier Award-nominated Ciarán Hinds, who most recently starred in Girl From the North Country at the Old Vic and Noel Coward Theatre. Further casting includes Dermot Crowley, Aoife Duffin, Adetomiwa Edun, Michelle Fox, Laurence Kinlan, Seamus O’Hara, Judith Roddy and Rufus Wright.

Ian Rickson, former Artistic Director of the Royal Court, directs, with previous credits including The Birthday Party, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, Jerusalem, The Weir and Mojo. The production features design by Rae Smith, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Ian Dickinson and original music by Stephen Warbeck.

With themes of a nation torn apart and an oppressor in control of the country, Translations resonates with today’s Britain to a shocking extent. The production plays at the National Theatre’s Olivier, with performances from 22 May to 7 July 2018, with a press night on 30 May 2018.

Sorry this show closed 07 July 2018, we recommend these similar productions.

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Fawlty Towers
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Performance dates:
22 May 2018 - 07 Jul 2018
Running time:
2 hours and 30 minutes including an interval.
Age recommendation:
Not suitable for children
Audience Notes:
This modern classic from British and Irish theatre is not to be missed by those with interest in politics, culture clash and post-colonialism. A moving, personal drama that effectively frames the tension between Ireland and Britain, this production should not be missed by theatregoers.
Categories:

Translations Reviews

3.5
29 Reviews
  • 5 Stars10%
  • 4 Stars41%
  • 3 Stars34%
  • 2 Stars14%
  • 1 Stars0%

User Reviews

Verified
Performance date: 10 August 2018
Verified

Intense historic piece by Brian Friel - hard to follow sometimes but a great cast and strong performances.

Performance date: 08 August 2018
Verified
Performance date: 08 August 2018
1/10
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