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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 17.1035  Tuesday, 21 November 2006

[1] 	From: 	Terence Hawkes <terence.hawkes@btinternet.com>
 	Date: 	Monday, 20 Nov 2006 17:43:25 -0000
 	Subj: 	Russian 'Twelfth Nigh't

[2] 	From: 	Alfredo Michel Modenessi <almimo_mx@yahoo.com.mx>
 	Date: 	Monday, 20 Nov 2006 21:47:14 -0600 (CST)
 	Subj: 	Re: SHK 17.1026 Russian 'Twelfth Night'


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Terence Hawkes <terence.hawkes@btinternet.com>
Date: 		Monday, 20 Nov 2006 17:43:25 -0000
Subject: 	Russian 'Twelfth Nigh't

Let me get the facts of this 'Twelfth Night' straight. The Russian company 
has an edited and translated version of 'Twelfth Night' which they speak 
in Russian.  The text of the play displayed to the audience in Buenos 
Aires was in Spanish, though elsewhere the edited Russian text will be 
displayed in English, (or Turkish, or Finish or Japanese). Who cares? This 
production indicated, says one viewer, that its commitment is not, perish 
the thought, to language but to 'Theater'.

Of course the audience thought it was 'marvellous'.  Even the logic 
chopping of Alejandra Simari, 'I have taught my students that Shakespeare 
is unique in the fact that, after so many centuries, he is still 
universal', does not detract from the main point.  Works written in 
English have this strange capacity.  They need not be reduced to anyone's 
puny linguistics to renew their blazing majesty. Moreover, once you've 
learnt 'theater', it's all systems go.  Access from Shakespeare's intense 
height can make all culture's kin.  Just wait till he gets to Afghanistan. 
Has anybody ever suggested there was anything political in all this?

T. Hawkes

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Alfredo Michel Modenessi <almimo_mx@yahoo.com.mx>
Date: 		Monday, 20 Nov 2006 21:47:14 -0600 (CST)
Subject: 17.1026 Russian 'Twelfth Night'
Comment: 	Re: SHK 17.1026 Russian 'Twelfth Night'

David Kathman wrote: "Actually, this production is using not the original 
text, but a Russian translation. They're using the supertitles here in 
Chicago as well."

Well, yes, my mistake--sort of. Being a translator, I misunderstood what 
Nora Kreimer meant by "original"--somewhat mistakenly herself, she used 
the word to signify a translation of Shakespeare's text into Spanish that 
was used in the sur- or super-titles. The Russian production, of course, 
employs a version in Russian. But it "ain't Shakespeare" either, right? 
So...

Best,
Alfredo.

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