English - Long Wharf Theatre

The play English was presented by TheaterWorks Hartford this past fall as part of a partnership with Long Wharf Theatre.  This winter, it is now the venerable New Haven theater’s turn to present the work, which won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.  Very little has changed in the production.  There are two new actresses (the other three are reprising their roles).  The set, a sparsely furnished classroom created by Sadra Tehrani is smaller, but similar to her design at the Hartford staging.

 

The show, by playwright Sana Toossi, takes place in an advanced TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) class.  Four students, of different ages and goals, seek to master the English language by passing the TOEFL test.  The play adeptly explores language, cultural identity, and self-worth.  Maybe because what is happening in our country and the world, these issues seemed more pronounced and resonated with me more during my second viewing of the show within such a short span of time,

 

The quartet of students, circa Iran in 2008, is under the tutelage of Marjan (Neagheen Homaifar), a demanding yet sympathetic instructor.   They are Elham (Sahar Milani), a driven individual looking to score high on the TOEFL to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor; Goli (Aryana Asefirad), an enthusiastic 18-year-old student; Omid (Afsheen Misaghi), whose is already quite proficient in English and seeking his green card; and Roya (Nina Ameri), a grandmother who wants to become competent in English to be able to communicate with her grandchild living in Canada.

 

Through multiple blackout scenes, designating the passage of time, Ms. Toossi is able to reveal each of the characters’ difficulties as they progress through the course and, hopefully, achieve their objective – passing the TOEFL.  The playwright has cleverly created a system for communicating the characters’ thoughts in both their native tongue and English.  When they speak in an unaccented tone, this connotes their native tongue of Farsi.  Accented English implies their communication in English.  In just a short time, and without any unnecessary exposition, the audience understands the playwright’s device.

 

As the 100-minute, intermission-less show progresses, conflicts, both personal and within the classroom, arise.  The end is a satisfying mix of success and sadness.  Additionally, audiences will leave the production ruminating on the questions posed and situations presented – the mark of a dynamic and thought-provoking production.

 

Director Arya Shahi hasn’t missed a beat molding the old and new cast members into a superb ensemble.  He doesn’t clutter the play with a lot of unnecessary bustling about, but allows the words and simple acts to take center stage.  Working with Mary Ellen Stebbins’ institutional Lighting Design, the director effectively brings out the humor, honesty, and solemnity in Sanaz Toossi’s well-crafted script.

 

Each character is well-defined, bestowed with multiple layers by the playwright.  The only misstep is with the character of Omid.  His motivations for taking the course are not satisfactorily presented, even though his character does add a romantic twist to the show.

 

English, playing at the Kendall Drama Lab, a pocket-sized black box theater on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University, through February 1.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.