Katherine Mendelsohn
Translator
Film, TV & Theatre
Katherine is a translator of contemporary and classic plays originally written in French. Translations staged in the UK include work by writers from France, Québec and a variety of francophone African countries - contemporary plays by Togolese-French and Libyan-French writers, as well as contemporary classic French plays from the 1930s and 1970s.
She is currently translating Guillaume Poix & Lorraine de Sagazan’s new creation LEVIATHAN (on restorative justice) for English surtitles for Festival d’Avignon 2024 and for inclusion in the Institut Francais' Cross Channel Theatre programme in London later this year.
Writing on theatre includes a programme article on Ionesco for Omar Elerian’s production of The Chairs with Kathryn Hunter and Marcello Magni at the Almeida Theatre, London.
Her translation of a Moliere short (working title THE COMMISSION) was first begun in Cove Park's Translation Residency and recently received a development support grant from the Tom McGrath Trust.
Katherine also does literal translations for select producers (most recently for Sonia Friedman Productions).
She was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her work with Francophone writers on UK stages.
Katherine was International Literary Associate and then Literary Manager for the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh from 1999-2012. Managing/dramaturging commissions for Artistic Director Philip Howard and then for Artistic Director Dominic Hill, and working with associates John Tiffany, Roxana Silbert & Lorne Campbell.
Prior to that, she was Literary Manager of the Gate Theatre in London, and assistant to John Barton, Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as being an assistant-director at the Royal Court and to Mike Alfreds.
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
A HUMAN VOICE | By Jean Cocteau. Translation mentored by Jo Clifford, with support from Creative Scotland's Open Fund. | |
GONZO | By Riad Gahmi. Translation commissioned by CIRCA, La Chartreuse d'Avignon. Script workshop at Pitlochry Festival theatre (dir. Amy Liptrott, with actors from PFT's season). |
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
TRANSLATIONS | ||
LEVIATHAN | Festival d’Avignon 2024 / Institut Francais' Cross Channel Theatre programme | By Guillaume Poix & Lorraine de Sagazan. |
LA VOIX HUMAINE | Queen's University Belfast's Brian Friel Theatre | Part of of Seamus Heaney Centre's Words in the Air Translation Festival. |
THE GHOSTS OF ALLOUE | Cie du Veilleur | French original Les Fantomes d’Alloue by Rémi de Vos, a walking history of Maria Casarès' house for Matthieu Roy, Compagnie du Veilleur |
KNOCK HIS BLOCK | Theatre National de Toulouse, Theatre National de Bruxelles Company of Angels, Compagnie Nelson Dumont | Belgian original Tête à Claques by Jean Lambert for 'Pièces à lire sans frontières' (3-country Erasmus young audiences project with strategic education partners) |
SKINS AND HOODS | Cie du Veilleur | French original Même Les Chevaliers Tombent dans l'Oubli by Togolese-French writer Gustave Akakpo, (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, dir Matthieu Roy with UK cast) |
THIS CARCASS | French original Alors Carcasse by Mariette Navarro, commissioned translation for SACD currently being considered for staging | |
ZENITH | Sala Beckett | By Guillaume Poix by Simon Grangeat - short-play translation commissioned by L’Association Beaumarchais for Obrador d’Estudiu, international writers’ lab in Barcelona, run by Simon Stephens |
FEET FIRST IN FUTURE | Sala Beckett | French original Deux Pieds Demain by Simon Grangeat - short-play translation commissioned by L’Association Beaumarchais for Obrador d’Estudiu, international writers’ lab in Barcelona, run by Simon Stephens |
HOW TO BE A MODERN MARVEL® | Cie du Veilleur | French original, Prodiges® by Mariette Navarro (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, dir. Matthieu Roy) |
DAMASCUS | Traverse & Tricycle Theatre | Translator of French dialogues in Damascus by David Greig (dir. Philip Howard, Traverse Theatre, & tour to London’s Tricycle Theatre, and internationally to Canada, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan & Egypt) |
15 SECONDS | Traverse | Literal translation of 15 Seconds (Québécois original 15 Secondes) by François Archambault, for UK version by Isabel Wright (produced Traverse Theatre, dir. Roxana Silbert) |
SOAP | Traverse & Tron Theatre | Québécois original Téléroman by Larry Tremblay (staged readings 2002 at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, and Tron Theatre, Glasgow. Dir. John Mitchell) |
DRAMATURGICAL & DEVELOPMENT WORK | ||
REVOLUTION DAYS | Bijli Productions (Assembly Roxy & Glasgow Tramway) | By Mariem Omari |
THE RED SHED | West Yorkshire Playhouse | Dramaturgical advisor for Mark Thomas' The Red Shed (dir. Joe Douglas, Lakin McCarthy in assoc. with West Yorkshire Playhouse, Edinburgh Fringe Festival & on tour) |
HALLAIG | By Iain Finlay Macleod, for its workshop performance at An Lanntair, Stornoway | |
FIVE GOLD RINGS | Almeida | By Joanna Laurens (dir. Michael Attenborough) |
THE GIRL ON THE SOFA | Berlin’s Schaubühne & Traverse Theatre | By Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse, UK version by David Harrower (dir. Thomas Ostermeier, Edinburgh International Festival – co-production between Berlin’s Schaubühne and the Traverse Theatre) |
POOR BECK | RSC | By Joanna Laurens (dir. Daniel Fish) |
THE THREE BIRDS | Gate Theatre, London | By Joanna Laurens (dir. Rebecca Gatward) |
Radio
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
FIRST LOVE | BBC Radio 4 | As Co-Director/Producer |
Other
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
SPACE/TIME | Magnetic North Theatre Company | Participant in artist's residency |
THE CHAIRS | Almedia Theatre | Wrote programme article on Ionesco for Omar Elerian’s production with Kathryn Hunter and Marcello Magni |
THE GHOST OF ALLOUE | Asymptote Journal | Translation of Rémi De Vos' THE GHOST OF ALLOUE published online in Asymptote Journal |
Dramaturg | UK dramaturg at C.E.A.D.’s translation residency, Quebec (writers included Stephen Greenhorn, Rona Munro, Evelyne de la Cheneliere and Olivier Choiniere) | |
Dramaturg | Dramaturg for Mariem Omari (Bijli Productions, resident at National Theatre of Scotland) | |
On-site 'Ferryman' Facilitator | On-site 'Ferryman' Facilitator (traductrice-passeuse) for Le Studio Europeen - international play creation residency at La Chartreuse - Villeneuve-lez-Avignon. |