No living playwright can touch Brian Friel on a linguistic level. I usually hate it when playwrights are referred to as "poets," but for Friel, it seems to be an apt moniker. Translations, his 1981 work about Anglicizing an Irish speaking county in 1833, overflows with beautiful prose. Garry Hynes has staged the play for the Manhattan Theatre Club (co-produced by the McCarter Theatre) at the Biltmore in a lyrical and lush production that truly captures the essence of the piece's beauty. At the top of Act Two, the gallant British Lieutenant (Chandler Williams) tells his Irish paramour (the radiant Susan Lynch) to, "Say anything at all. I love the sound of your voice." Likewise of Friel: It doesn't matter what he says; what matters is the captivating way he says it.
2 comments:
Augh! I have to see this. I absolutely adore Brian Friel, especially having had a chance to be in a production of "Dancing at Lughnasa."
I missed a comp offer to it on the first week, and now attendance has really jumped, so I might actually have to pay now, darn it! I'm glad it's doing well, but couldn't the jump have waited one more week?
I'm glad to see that attendance is spiking; when I went last week, the orchestra was less than half-full, and my comp ticket was 7th row center. It's definitely a must see, though, especially for Friel enthusiasts. The ensemble is pretty much flawless.
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