The summer is in full swing but in Australia the winter is about to be hit by a dose of Rodrigo García and his I’d Rather Goya Robbed Me of My Sleep than some Other Son of a Bitch.  This is an exciting Australian debut for me as a translator, as this high-octane monologue contemplating capitalism, parenthood, philosophy and dependency, opens at Old 505 Theatre in Newtown, Sydney, on August 22.  Théâtre Excentrique produce the play, following productions in English at the Gate Theatre Notting Hill and at the Boom Arts Festival in Portland, Oregon.

Meanwhile, preparations for the Edinburgh International Festival continue, with the Royal Court announcing their full programme of international plays to be showcased as part of their ‘New and Now’ season of play readings.  I have two translations in the mix, Laura Liz Gil Echenique’s Drainage Alley and Guillermo Calderón’s Speech.

These are two out of the six plays from around the world being read as part of the EIF’s ‘Spirit of 47’ season.  From Ukraine, Sasha Dugdale translates Natal’ya Vorozhbit’s Bad Roads; Katherine Halls translates Maya Zbib’s Galia’s Miles, from Lebanon; Zhu Yi self-translates You Never Touched the Dirt, from China, and from Palestine, Dalia Taha writes There is No One between You and Me.