Publications

Publication details [#4822]

Nigro, Kirsten. 2000. Getting the word out: issues in the translation of Latin American theatre for US audiences. In Upton, Carole-Anne, ed. Moving target: theatre translation and cultural relocation. Manchester: St. Jerome. pp. 115–126.
Publication type
Article in jnl/bk
Publication language
English

Abstract

While Latin American theatre has gained increased attention in the English-speaking world in the last few decades, it is still essentially absent from stages in the United States. The reasons for this are many and complex, not least among them that not enough valuable, stageworthy plays are translated, despite the existence of various festivals dedicated to Latin American theatre, a few theatres dedicated to promoting Spanish-English bilingual theatre, and growing academic interest in the subject. Important topics considered here include: reasons for the marginalization of Latin American theatre; cultural and linguistic challenges in translating it for US audiences; the role of the translator as cultural mediator; issues of majority and minority cultures, mainstream and Hispanic stages; 'political correctness' as an inhibiting factor; and the need for translations to be workshopped. Cultural bias is something to be overcome, and this translator is reluctant to relocate on the grounds that this encourages the marginalization of Latin-American theatre.
Source : Bitra