TRACING THE DIRECTORIAL PROCESS OF THEATRICAL TRANSLATION: A PRACTICE-LED CASE STUDY By Anitra Michelle Davel A mini-dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER ARTIUM (PERFORMANCE) in the Department of Drama at the UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Supervisors: Professor M. Munro Professor M-H. Coetzee August 2014 © University of Pretoria i TABLE OF CONTENTS Front Page Table of Contents i Declaration vi Acknowledgements vii Abstract viii Keywords ix Chapter 1 – Introduction 1 1.1 Research Problem, Investigative Question, Research Objectives and 2 Approach 1.1.1 Research Problem 2 1.1.2 Investigative Question 2 3 1.1.3 Research Objectives 1.1.3.1 Pre-Production Research Objectives 3 1.1.3.2 In-Production Research Objectives 3 1.1.3.3 Post Production Research Objectives 4 1.1.4 Research Approach 4 1.1.4.1 Research Phase 1 6 1.1.4.2 Research Phase 2 7 1.1.4.3 Research Phase 3 7 1.1.4.4 Research Phase 4 7 1.2 Chapter Outline 8 © University of Pretoria ii Chapter 2 – Musical Theatre in Context 11 2.1 The definition of Musical Theatre 11 2.2 Background to the development of Musical Theatre 12 2.3 Characteristics of a musical 17 2.4 The Book Musical and the contribution of Richard Rodgers and Oscar 18 Hammerstein II 2.5 The development of the Concept Musical and the diffusion of the 19 Post-modern Musical 2.6 The elements of Musical Theatre 29 2.7 The development of South African Musical Theatre 34 2.7.1 Eurocentric Musicals in Apartheid South Africa 35 2.7.2 The home-grown musicals of South Africa 40 2.7.3 Musical Theatre in the post-Apartheid context 44 Chapter 3 – Clarification of the concepts in the context of the 52 theoretical framework of the study 3.1 The translation/adaptation/variation debate 52 3.2 Cross-cultural, multicultural and intercultural theatre 62 3.2 Semiotics in theatre 68 3.4 Table 1: Tabulation of the theoretical framework 79 © University of Pretoria iii Chapter 4 – First Translation Tier: Analysis of the text 82 4.1 Aims of this chapter 83 4.2 Textual analysis of the original playtext of Bat Boy – the Musical 85 4.2.1 The Book 92 4.2.1.1 Component 1: Dramatic shape 92 4.2.1.2 Component 2: Characters 104 4.2.1.3 Component 3: Dialogue 120 4.2.1.4 Component 4: Stage Directions 124 4.2.2 Lyrics 127 4.2.3 Score 130 4.2.4 Dances 140 4.3 Placing the playtext within the South African situation 146 The Americanization of South Africa 148 4.3.1 The Book 151 4.3.1.1 Component 1: Dramatic shape 151 4.3.1.2 Component 2: Characters 163 4.3.1.3 Component 3: Dialogue 167 4.3.1.4 Component 4: Stage Directions 169 4.3.2 Lyrics 170 4.3.3 Score 170 4.3.4 Dances 171 © University of Pretoria iv Chapter 5 – Second Translation Tier: Engaging the cast 177 5.1 Aims of this chapter 177 5.2 Brief introduction to Constantin Stanislavski and the magic ‘if’ 179 5.3 The Rehearsal process 183 5.3.1 The objectives of the initial workshop process 183 5.3.2 Journaling 184 5.3.3 Ice-breakers 187 5.3.4 Improvisations 189 Chapter 6 – Second Translation Tier: The Resultant Translation 192 6.1 The Semiotic sign systems used in the translation 193 6.1.1 Pictoral Sign Systems 194 6.1.1.1 Actor as Sign 194 6.1.1.2 Visual Design/Scenography 195 Set 196 Décor 198 Costumes 199 Lighting 204 Props 207 6.1.1.3 Spatial Codes 209 6.1.2 Auditory Sign Systems 213 6.1.2.1 Actor as Sign 213 6.1.2.2 Dialogue/Lyrics 214 6.1.2.3 Music 220 6.1.2.4 Technical Elements 221 Sound design 221 Sound effects 222 © University of Pretoria v Chapter 7 – Critical Reflection 224 7.1 Evaluating the directorial process of theatrical translation 224 7.1.1 Considering the framework 224 7.1.2 The two-tiered approach 226 7.1.2.1 The first tier of translation 226 7.1.2.1 The second tier of translation 228 7.2 In Conclusion 231 7.2.1 Shortfalls of the study 232 7.2.2 Possible opportunities for further research 234 List of Sources Consulted 237 List of Musical Theatre Productions Referenced 255 Addenda Appendix 1: List of Auditionees and Cast List for Bat Boy – the Musical 263 Appendix 2: Kaitlin Hopkins on Bat Boy and 9/11 266 Appendix 3: Synopsis of Plot 268 Appendix 4: List of Songs in Bat Boy – the Musical 270 Appendix 5: List of Characters in Bat Boy – the Musical 271 Appendix 6: List of Caves in South Africa 273 Appendix 7: Review of Journal questions 275 Appendix 8: Questionnaire – Semiological Analysis of Performance 277 Appendix 9: Set Design 278 Appendix 10: Screen Preset 280 Appendix 11: Poster for Bat Boy – the Musical 281 Appendix 12: Table of Character and Costume Translation 282 © University of Pretoria vi DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Magister Artium (Performance) at the University of Pretoria is my own original work and has not previously been submitted to any other institution of higher education. I further declare that all sources cited or quoted are indicated and acknowledged by means of a comprehensive list of references. A.M. Davel © University of Pretoria vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to my supervisors, Prof Marth Munro and Prof Marié-Heleen Coetzee for the unending support, advice and talking me off the tops of tall buildings; to Dr Harold Mortimer for the wonderful musical direction of Bat Boy – the Musical; unwavering support through-out the rehearsal and performance process and for calling me ‘boss’; to Ms Sheila Goodgall and Mr EJ Monster of the Embassy of the United States of America for their role in the sponsorship of the production; to the cast of the South African premiere of Bat Boy – the Musical for allowing me to direct and experiment with their performances and for teaching me so much; to Hendrik Davel and Mathilda Hornsveld for hours of proof-reading; to my parents Hendrik and Vicki for always believing in me; to my sons, Cian and Logan, for letting me be a bad mother and watching too much television so I could work and to my husband, Demetris van Zyl for the infinite number of cups of tea and pep talks without whom I would never have been able to get to this point; I cannot thank you all enough. © University of Pretoria viii ABSTRACT The aim of this research is to trace how the theatrical translation process, specifically within the genre of musical theatre, can be systematically approached by a director. Through practice-led research, this study documents the directorial process that was followed in order to translate the playtext of Bat Boy – the Musical from the American source context to the South African context. The intent of the process was to ensure that signifiers of the culture – as set out in the playtext – shifted to become indicative of the cultures of the performers who were cast in the production or target text. The first research phase addressed the theoretical framework of the study and the distinctions between theatrical translation, adaptation and variation were contemplated in order to substantiate the use of the term translation in the two-tiered translation approach suggested. In the second research phase, relevant dynamics in theatrical semiotic processes were used to analyse the playtext of Bat Boy – the Musical. In this, the first tier of translation, the dissertation surveyed the signs at work in the playtext taking cognisance of the ideological and aesthetic codes within the source text. Then, the corresponding social and textual codes within the socio-cultural domain to which the playtext was translated were investigated. The third research phase and second tier of translation occurred on the level of the mise-en-scène. Here, the directorial strategy was to engage the performers actively in the translation process, by including their respective artistic and cultural paradigms in the translation of the playtext and the characters contained therein. The translation of the playtext was explored within the cross cultural – and more specifically the intercultural – theatrical framework by allowing the multicultural and multilingual cast to source their diverse, cultural backgrounds and unique social codes as well as South African theatrical codes in order to place the musical in the South African context. The fourth and final research phase reflects upon the intercultural translation of Bat Boy – the Musical and considers, not only the efficacy of the directorial process for the translation of a musical theatre playtext from one cultural context to another, but also how this particular form of American musical theatre resonates within the multicultural and multilingual South African society. © University of Pretoria ix KEYWORDS Musicals South African Musical Theatre Theatrical Translation Theatrical Semiotics Cross cultural Theatre Intercultural Theatre Multiculturalism © University of Pretoria x © University of Pretoria 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION South African theatre has a long history of importing, localizing or ‘transplanting’ American and European playtexts in productions produced on local stages in pre- and post-Apartheid contexts (Hauptfleisch 2007:3-4). In an attempt to localize the work and speak to a broad audience the text, characters and plot of a theatrical work are often translated from one cultural paradigm and one aesthetic paradigm1 to another.