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Translating Theatre. Migrating Texts.

"Translating Theatre. Migrating Text." will be a one-day colloquium exploring places of contact between current thinking about translation, global performance and contemporary forms of migrant theatre. The colloquium seeks to establish a forum for the discussion of translation and migrant theatre that is international, interdisciplinary and innovative in its engagement with translation theory and theatre practice. Our point of departure is a definition of theatre translation that sees it not only as the product of interlingual transfer but as a process of negotiation of cultural contact through performance. Moving from such a re-definition we intend to explore translation practices in the context of an increasingly global theatre market while interrogating the work of actors, directors and playwrights who centre their artistic practice in the context of migration. The case of Italy offers a unique point of departure for discussion, and its consideration in textual representations of mobility and theatre translation demonstrates a rich and complex symbiosis between translating theatre and migrating texts. However, Italy will be only one example of the wider phenomenon of interculturalism and migrating theatre, represented by the variety of theatre companies performing in Europe and beyond.

The day will be divided into three parts, combining theoretical and practical approaches. The first part will consist of a series of academic papers exploring possible points of contact between theatre translation and migrant theatre (the politics of representation and mimesis, questions of origin and authenticity, acceptance and/or resistance to assimilation, the hybrid nature of notions of culture, identity and language). The second part, From Page to Stage, will be a roundtable discussion with practitioners from Italy and the UK (actors, directors, playwrights) which will focus on performance, highlighting the intertwining relationship between writing, translating and performing migrant narratives. The final part of the conference will include a practical workshop on the creation and interpretation of migrant characters by London-based theatre company Legal Aliens. The workshop will involve hands-on activities related to the construction of characters and the mise en scène. It is aimed primarily at theatre students, though participation from academics is welcome.

If you'd like to register for this event, please contact Kerry Drakeley. Refreshments and lunch will be available at the event.

At a Glance
Date: Saturday 12 June 2010
Time: All Day
Location: CAPITAL Centre
Open To: Everyone
Cost: £15 waged (£10 unwaged)
Summary: One-day colloquium exploring places of contact between current thinking about translation, global performance and contemporary forms of migrant theatre.
Migrating Birds by Neda Doany