New Technology Allows Non-English Speakers to Enjoy West End Shows

A new technology currently on trial in the West End will allow theatre attendees who do not speak the language used in the production to enjoy and understand the performance, The UK Times Online reports. The technology, called AirScript, wirelessly streams the script of the play, in real time, to a device that displays it in whatever language the user chooses, including French, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Mandarin, German, and English.

The device is currently at use in the Shaftesbury Theatre. AirScript is in use for their current production of Hairspray. Although, the device has been proven to work rather effectively for the production, some of the information is lost in translaion. For example, when Tracy Turnblad sings the line "'Cause me and Link are French kissin'," the French traslation reads more along the lines of "there will be kissing," avoiding the more descript version of the lyrics.

To read the full article form the Times Online, click here.

AirScript was invented by Alexander Vegh, who works with Theatre of Comedy, the resident company of the Shaftesbury. The idea stemmed from his first attendence at a New York show. As a native of Argentina, he attended Cats on Broadway. He felt as though he would enjoy it more if he were actually able to understnad the lyrics, and the idea for AirScript was born.

Vegh has received express interest from coutries around the world regarding the technology. "I have had theatres in India on the phone to me, asking me if, in three years' time, they can have it in the 20 languages they need. Also Japan, Brazil."

Theatre of Comedy artistic director James Williams states, ""About a third of our audience is from overseas. Foreign visitors will always come to musicals for the show, the spectacle - but now they can get so much more from it."

 

 

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