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| Photo by Liz Lauren |
My memories of studying a foreign language mainly come down to struggling with dour German novels and trying to describe seeing Motorhead, in French.
As a middle class American, a second language was more about ticking a box for college than a necessity. For the characters in English, Sanaz Toossi's Pulitzer-Prize-winning play, it means so much more. Learning English could open the door to becoming a doctor, getting a green card, or moving to Canada to be near their granddaughter.
In this heartfelt and touching production, a co-production between the Guthrie and Chicago's Goodman Theatre, we only spend about 90 minutes with the quintet of characters, but they live in the memory long after the final curtain.
English takes place in Iran in 2009. Four students have gathered in an English-immersion classroom to prepare for a language proficiency test. To foster their emerging skills, instructor Marjan has a strict "English only" rule. The moments the characters swap between their second language and Farsi are represented by shifts in accent -- heavy for when they attempt English, straightforward when they use their native tongue.
As the months unfold, relationships are built and conflicts arise, especially between Marjan and strong-willed Elham, who sees learning English as a necessary evil to getting into an Australian university. Necessary evil may not be strong enough. Elham is in a war with the English language, upset that it has been foisted as a barrier to her plans, and reluctant to give up her own culture and tongue.
English is at turns funny and insightful, with the cast -- who all have transferred from the Goodman run earlier this year -- showcasing considerable chemistry. Toossi's script also has plenty of subtle grace notes, which aids in making the characters fully realized. It also helps to survive a late-show twist that felt out of place within the rest of the action.
English runs through Aug. 18 at the Guthrie Theater.
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