As the build-up begins to the awarding of the designation of
European Capital of Culture, a look into the archives reveal endless cultural
exchanges between Galway, its people, place and of course culture and the
continent. In 1984, La Baladin du Monde
Occidental (The Playboy of the Western World) a French translation of the
iconic play written by J.M Synge, was produced in Galway by a French theatre
group - Théâtre du Pré Perché, a theatre group from Brittany. The
play was produced at the Jesuit Hall in Salthill, a venue also used by other
theatre groups such as Druid Theatre Company on various occasions.
A further French production of 'Le Balladin' and a programme
for which is within the Druid Theatre Company archives at the Hardiman Library,
NUI Galway, is a production by 'Théâtre des Treize Vents', the national
dramatic centre of the region of Langeudoc-Roussillon, based in Montpellier. The
programme contains numerous articles on the history of the play, information on
the culture and history of the West of Ireland and a biography of Synge.
In 1896, Synge had a chance encounter with the poet and
dramatist, W. B. Yeats, who gave Synge the now famous advice, which was to give
up Paris and go to the Aran Islands. "Live there as if you were one of the
people themselves; express a life that has never found expression." As well
as the volume of essays published by Synge in his "The Aran Islands",
the infamous 'Playboy' was born from that trip and as can be seen in these
images, brought the wild stories of Christy Mahon to the French language.
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