The art of translating plays for the stage is a delicate and often thankless task, but it can make or break a work of art. Monica Capuani, a leading translator bringing international theatre to Italian audiences, embodies this sentiment. In her latest project, she tackles the translation of Marina Carr's play, Mirandolina, a reimagining of Carlo Goldoni's 18th-century Italian comedy, La Locandiera. This translation is a full circle, as Capuani first produced a literal English translation of Goldoni's work, which Carr then reworked and updated. Capuani then restored the text into Italian, preserving the linguistic nuances and emotional textures Carr introduced. This process highlights the translator's role as an artist of interpretation and humility, following in the footsteps of the 'children of a greater god' - the authors they translate. The challenges of theatrical translation are immense. Unlike literary translation, where readers can pause and reread, the theatre demands complete comprehension. The translator's goal is to disappear, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the performance without thinking about the translation. However, this very invisibility has led to the profession being undervalued. Despite the skill involved, translators are often poorly paid and rarely recognized. The recent rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in translation has further sharpened anxieties in the industry. AI's ability to produce translations instantly and at low cost threatens the human translator's role, as seen in the publishing industry's shift towards machine translation. This shift raises concerns about the loss of cultural heritage and the importance of human understanding in communication. The human translator's empathy and psychological insight are invaluable, as exemplified by Sonia Folin's essay, Survival of the Translator. Folin's analogy of pressing zero to connect with a real person highlights the resilience of human connection in an AI-dominated world. Capuani's personal experience with a Lacanian psychoanalyst further emphasizes the emotional depth of language. Her repeated use of the word 'impaired' revealed unconscious associations, demonstrating the power of words to convey complex emotions and experiences. As Mirandolina by Marina Carr, translated by Monica Capuani, comes to the Abbey Theatre, it serves as a reminder of the translator's crucial role in shaping the audience's experience. The play's exploration of female fear and vulnerability, especially in the context of Italy's broader crisis of violence against women, adds a layer of depth to the translation. Capuani's dedication to preserving the play's essence and cultural nuances showcases the translator's skill and responsibility. In conclusion, the art of translating plays is a challenging yet essential task, requiring a deep understanding of language and culture. Monica Capuani's work on Mirandolina exemplifies the translator's role as a guardian of cultural heritage and a facilitator of human connection through language.
