The workshop aims at drama and philology students who have reached sufficient language proficiency and they are interested in translating dramatic texts. This year, three scholarship recipients have been selected and they are now preparing translations of contemporary plays, led by experienced translators.
Barbora Fremlová, guided by the translator Ester Žantovská, is working on the translation of the play In Other Words by the British author Matthew Seager. Iva Heribanová, led by the dramaturge and translator Jan Šotkovský, is translating the play Enough by the Scottish playwright Stef Smith. Tobi Palatý, mentored by the dramaturge and translator David Košťák, is translating A Girl in School Uniform (Walks Into a Bar) by the London-born playwright Lulu Raczka.
The initial June meeting of the young scholarship recipients and their experienced tutors focused on practical tips for the future translators. They learned key information about the specifics of drama translation, the copyright act, and the basic models of cooperation between translators and dramaturges. Throughout the summer, they worked together with their tutors on the first drafts of their translations that should be submitted in the next few days.
In September, the participants will meet again to discuss their experiences with the translation process. They will have the chance to evaluate each other's work and hear feedback not only from their tutors but also from their peers.
The highlight of the workshop will be staged reading of the excerpts of the translations that will take place on December 10, 2024, at Vila Štvanice and will be directed by the Theatre LETÍ.
Since 2022, the workshop has been supported by Marie Josková and commemorates the legacy of the renowned English-language translator Jiří Josek (1950–2018). Josek was best known for his translations of William Shakespeare, having translated 34 of his plays as well as the Sonnets. He also translated works by many other playwrights (such as Edward Albee and Neil Simon), musicals (Funny Girl, West Side Story, Kiss Me, Kate, and others), fiction (Tracy's Tiger by William Saroyan, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, or Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow), and poetry (works by Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti).