Abstract
This essay examines the dramatic effectiveness of an interpreter, based on the writer’s own experience as an interpreter in the theatre. An Irish theatrical company called ‘Mouth on Fire’ performed several later plays of Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) in English at Theatre X in Tokyo between 13 February and 17 February, 2013. First, I will focus on the theatrical role of consecutive interpreting presented as an introductory talk before the performances. I will then investigate the mechanism of liaison interpreting offered for the post-performance discussion at the meeting between the audience and the company to understand the ‘invisible role’ of both interpreter and characters in Beckett’s plays. Finally, I will analyze the theatrical role of the interpreter for bridging the gap between audience and stage as well as between the unseen and the seen.
