Video: Richard Minkley meets the woman who has translated a Russian play on her own
A woman from Nottinghamshire has translated an entire Russian play into modern English all by herself to ‘update the text’.
Cynthia Marsh, director of the play called Ivanov at The Lace Market Theatre, translated the play at the same time as she her granddaughter was born.
The play focuses on a man who has reached middle-age and feels as though he has not achieved what he wants to; he married unusually and his wife is now ill but he thinks he can get his life back on track by marrying someone much younger.
Cynthia said: “The great thing about translation is that you’re updating the text; I’m putting it into English but for everybody to understand.
“I thought I would really get inside this play by translating it – if you translate, you get confronted with every word on every page.
“I’ve spent all my life fighting for the presence of modern languages in the British educational system.
“I was fortunate enough to go to Russia in the Soviet Union period and that was scary, but my goodness me, it taught me so many lessons that have stayed with me all my life.”
Rob Goll, the actor who plays Ivanov, says the play focuses more than on his character’s struggle.
He said: “I don’t think he’s the main source of the story as the play is constructed so that all of the people in the town are featured quite heavily.”
Michelle Smith, the actress who plays character Babakina, relishes the opportunity to understand the play in its full context.
She said: “Cynthia knows the material so well that if there’s anything we’re unsure of, we can immediately go to the source.
“I mean, how often can you do that?”
