Theatre review: English, Southbank Theatre

In a classroom in Iran, four students are studying for their English exam under the instruction of Marjan (Salme Geransar). They each have their own reasons for wanting to learn English. These are tied closely to their identity and how the English language can help them find their place in the world. Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play examines how the way we express ourselves and our opportunities in life are shaped by the words that we have available to us. 

Marjan sets a rule for the classroom that they must only use English. The students often lapse into Farsi and the play cleverly distinguishes between the two languages even though nearly all the spoken dialogue is in English. When they are speaking English, it is accented and slower, when speaking Farsi, they have strong English accents and speak quickly. This is initially disconcerting, but the audience can quickly adapt.

Each of the students wants to learn English to improve their future. Elham (Maia Abbas) needs English to study abroad. Roya (Marjan Mesbahi) needs to be able to communicate with her grandson who is being raised abroad to speak only English. Omid (Osamah Sami) mysteriously has better English than the others to begin with, while Goli (Delaram Ahmadi) seems to be mainly there for the fun of studying English. 

As the play progresses, we learn more of the motivations of the characters, including that of Marjan who has lived abroad, but has returned home and is reluctant to use her native language. Unfortunately, there is a lack of real drama, and the stakes never really feel too high. While it is a comedy and this may be intentional by the playwright, this does lessen the play’s emotional impact, as there is no real fear for the characters. It also means that the resolution of the various story arcs feels unsatisfactory. 

The cast is terrific and it is difficult to single any one of them out for praise as they work well together as an ensemble. The characters they portray are endearing and relatable. The challenges of learning a second language are the source of much of the humour and it is very funny at times. Tasnim Hossain’s direction intelligently allows the focus to be on the words, while still setting up and delivering the big laughs. 

English raises many interesting ideas about how language has shaped our world. It reminds native English speakers of the privilege that English provides to them in the Western world. While for those who speak it as a second language, it is a poignant reminder of what your native tongue means to who you are. It is not a didactic play by any means; it is script full of ideas and the takeaways will probably vary depending on the audience’s background. 

The play is staged in a classroom set that does not change throughout the play. A clock on the wall changes time with each scene change, which is a clever touch. There are a lot of scene changes though and these can get monotonous as the play goes on. At a runtime of 90 minutes, it does feel like it drags a bit at times. This can be attributed to the lack of high stakes for the characters. Some of the scenes are also short and these little vignettes don’t add enough to justify their inclusion. 

Read: Theatre review: The Importance of Being Earnest, fortyfivedownstairs

English is a pleasant night out at the theatre. It is well-acted, funny and thought-provoking. It lacks the dramatic impact to take it to another level, but it’s still entertaining. Sometimes theatre should be just about having fun and spending time in Marjan’s English classroom won’t disappoint. 

English by Sanaz Toossi
Melbourne Theatre Company
Southbank Theatre

Director:  Tasnim Hossain
Set and Costume Designer: Kat Chan
Lighting Designer: Paul Lim
Composer: Hamed Sadeghi
Sound Designer: Marco Cher-Gibard
Persian Language Accent/Dialect Coach:  Ana Bayat
Voice and Text Coach: Mark Wong
Assistant Director: Afsaneh Torabi
Assistant Lighting Designer: Giovanna Yate Gonzalez
Cast:  Maia Abbas, Delaram Ahmadi, Salme Geransar, Marjan Mesbahi, Osamah Sami
Tickets: $29-$125

English will be performed until 29 August 2024