Ep. 57: Conversatorio on language translation and adaptation
June 9, 2021
“Translation is an exercise in not having the right answer.” -Paula Zelaya Cervantes
In this Conversatorio, we explore translation and adaptation of language in a 2021 context. We invited Paula Zelaya Cervantes, a Mexican translator, adapter, and writer, to reflect on 2 case studies of contemporary multi-lingual theatre from the Aluna archives – Aluna’s 2016 Interpretation Lab, and our recent Studio Series presentation of Clean / Limpia.
In order of voices you will hear, the speakers are:
Maria Constanza Guzman – translator, translation scholar and Associate Professor in the School of Translation and the Department of Hispanic Studies at Glendon College, York University.
Paula Zelaya Cervantes – Mexican playwright, director and translator. Translation and adaptation for Clean / Limpia.
Annike Andre-Barrett – Multilingual Communication Facilitator, and dedicated language professional with over 12 years in medical, legal, and community interpreting.
Elena Basile – poet, artist, translation scholar and professor at the University of Toronto’s Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies.
Christine Quintana – actor, playwright, and co-Artistic Producer of Delinquent Theatre. Born in Los Angeles to a Mexican-American father and a Dutch-British-Canadian mother, Christine is a proud co-founding member of the Canadian Latinx Theatre Artist Coalition. Playwright of Clean /Limpia.
Chelsea Haberlin – Artistic Director of Neworld Theatre and an Artistic Associate with ITSAZOO Productions. Co-director of Clean /Limpia.
Daniela Atiencia – bilingual director, dramaturg, and deviser, born and raised in Colombia. Co-director of Clean /Limpia.
SHOW NOTES:
- Aluna’s Interpretation Lab was a year and a half long experimentation in how to break the barriers of language through image, action, technology, and translation. A team of bilingual theatre-makers worked onstage in English and Spanish to explored new approaches to dramatic translation, and to test the possibilities of creating a trans-lingual theatre.
- Manantial del Corazon from Sa’as Tún Compañía de Teatro, presented at RUTAS 2018
- Clean / Limpia, a multi-lingual co-production in development between Neworld Theatre in Vancouver and Aluna Theatre in Toronto, written by Christine Quintana, translated and adapted by Paula Zelaya Cervantes. Read more about the production in development, and the team’s reflections on their recent workshop on Neworld Theatre’s blog. Listen to the Studio Series presentations, in English or in Spanish.
All Merendiando episodes are in Spanglish, English, or Spanish. New episodes of Radio Aluna Theatre are released on Wednesdays. Follow and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and wherever else you get your podcasts.
Radio Aluna Teatro is produced by Aluna Theatre with support from the Toronto Arts Council, The Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Metcalf Foundation and TD Bank.
Aluna Theatre is Beatriz Pizano & Trevor Schwellnus, with Sue Balint; Radio Aluna Theatre is produced by Monica Garrido and Camila Diaz-Varela.
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