Appunti esame Lingua inglese, prof. Carosso, dispensa consigliata Translating for the theatre, Susan Bassnett

Translating for the theatre (Susan Bassnett)

Less has been written on problems of translating theatre texts, because of the nature of the theatre text, which is in a dialectical relationship with the performance of the same text, and is therefore read as something incomplete. The performance represents the spatial/gestural dimension of the written text. The translator's task becomes impossible, because he has to treat a text that is part of different sign systems (including paralinguistic and kinesic signs) as if it were a literary text created for the page. According to Patrice Pavis, 'real translation' takes place on the level of the mise en scene, so a theatre text is an incomplete entity.

Translation is a question of power relationships and the translator has been placed in a position of economic inferiority (ex. In some cases, translators are commissioned to produce literal translations and the text is then handed over to a well-known playwright the translation is.

thencredited to that playwright). The key factor is the size of the audience and the price they're willingto pay for tickets, not certainly the ethics of translation. Texts are cut, reshaped, rewritten and stilldescribed as 'translations'. (sometimes the word 'version' is used instead of 'translation').Performability is the term used to justify substantial variations in the TT (cuts, additions)and to describe the existent concealed gestic text within the written. It hasn't been clearly definedand does not exist in most languages. If a set of criteria ever could be established to determine theperformability the they would vary from culture to culture, from period to period. This term firstmakes its appearance in the 2oth century and in connection with naturalist texts.Naturalist drama imposed the idea of the scripted play, the text that actors and directorshave to study in detail. In Hamlet and a Midsummer night's dream, Shakespeareand audience. It brings the written words to life, adding physicality, emotion, and interpretation. The performers, through improvisation and their own creativity, transform the playtext into a living, breathing experience. In the early days of theater, the concept of a fixed playtext with stage directions did not exist. The actors would rely on their own memory and interpretation to bring the story to life. However, as naturalist playwriting emerged in the 19th century, the role of the author became more prominent. Detailed stage directions were introduced, sometimes even taking the form of prose narrative or interior monologue. These directions served various purposes, providing instructions to the actors and directors, as well as aiding in the reading of the text. Post-naturalist playtexts focused on psychological realism, delving into the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters. These texts were often read as pieces of prose narrative, emphasizing the depth and complexity of the characters' experiences. It is worth noting that there were also dramatic texts that were never intended for performance. Despite being divorced from the possibility of being staged, these playtexts were still accepted and appreciated for their literary value. Performance disrupts the traditional relationship between the writer, the text, and the audience. It adds a new dimension to the written words, allowing for interpretation and connection. Through the collaboration of performers, the playtext is brought to life, creating a unique and dynamic experience for the audience.and reader and imposes an additional dimension. Pirandello sees the presence of the actor as an intrusion, because the text belongs primarily to the writer, and the performance is an attack on the writer's intentions. Post-naturalist theatre demands a high degree of fidelity to the written text; if performers were bound in a master-servant relationship to the written text, also translators should be. One avenue of escape for translators was to invent the idea of 'performability' as an excuse to exercise greater liberties with the text. Since the 17th century, two modes of theatre translation have existed: - The translation of Greek and Roman playwrights and the Elizabethans the playtext was a poetic text, a unit to be read on the page and translated as a literary text. The performance dimension is absent, so the history of such translations is to be found in the history of the translation of poetry; the principal criteria were the power of the verse form and the status.

of the written text. The theatre boom of northern Europe led to a change: texts were reshaped according to basic needs – audience expectations, size of company, limitations of time and space… - (ex. revised King Lear with a happy ending). We can deduce that translation for performance has tended away from notions of fidelity to the ST.