Stage Directions in Brian Friel’s "Translations" Cover Image

Didaskalia w „Przekładach” Briana Friela
Stage Directions in Brian Friel’s "Translations"

Author(s): Robert Looby
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Language and Literature Studies, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Studies of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: Irish drama; drama theory; stage direction; G.B. Shaw; B. Friel

Summary/Abstract: Often regarded as purely utilitarian messages with no artistic value in themselves, stage directions are a neglected aspect of theatre studies. This paper seeks to answer the questions “Who speaks in stage directions? How? To whom?”. Looby examines the nature of the speaker, the addressee and their relationship by examining the evolution of stage directions through Shaw, O’Casey and Beckett. However, the paper concentrates primarily on stage directions in Brian Friel’s Translations, arguing that they have an artistic form and function related to the theme of the play and going beyond mere technical instructions to the production crew.

  • Issue Year: 24/2014
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 113-123
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Polish