Mother Tongue: An English Review

English cast photographed by Julian Barlow

TheaterWorks Hartford kicks off its 40th anniversary with English, a delicately crafted story told through the lens of several poignantly scripted and cast characters, in a way that explores the depths of language in its unifying and divisive nature. English, the Tony-nominated Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Sanaz Toossi, takes audiences on a journey towards acceptance, by way of understanding, around the bend of miscommunication, barreling through language barriers, with an accented undertone of an apology for an inability to drown out nature and nurture to the end of acquiescing to someone else’s native tongue. Under the direction of Arya Shahi, English successfully places audience members in the shoes of both the native and the novice, and asks the question, “How long can you live in isolation from yourself?”

The story unfolds in a classroom in Iran where adult students Elham (Sahar Milani), Goli (Anahita Monfared), Roya (Pantea Ommi), and Omid (Afsheen Misaghi) study, together with their instructor Marjan (Neagheen Homaifar), to prepare for the TOEFL test—the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The goal of the class is to equip students to speak English more fluidly—to that end, their mother tongue, Farsi, is restricted in class. Each has something to gain—each has something to lose. The fear of loss burrows as the battle between the frustration that comes with the pressure to acculturate for the sake of their futures and the fondness for who they are in their own language ebbs and flows. Tensions grow and secrets are revealed.

Ommi gives voice to the generations rooted in pride and identity through the intransigent Roya, who bends in an effort not to break, but is a tree, grounded in and nurtured by the ideas of home. Monfared’s youthful portrayal of hope squares up against the label of naive that Goli’s age earns her—Monfared embodies the duality of doing what’s necessary while not forsaking all else. Misaghi is a chameleon, blending into Omid’s nuances—standing out as the know-it-all before succumbing to the weight of secrets, and the startling confession that changes the audience's view of him altogether. Homaifar leans fully into Marjan’s stoic, well-articulated assimilation. She maneuvers beautifully between the sway of the layers of Marjan, revealing depth when the cover of perfection, of leadership, cracks under the weight of truth—of identity. Milani catalyzes the cracking of each character’s external composition with a fierce and obstinate portrayal of Elham, who inevitably triggers the breaking of her own tough exterior.

Sadra Tehrani’s set design captures the quiet austerity of an institutional classroom—deliberate in its simplicity with a neutral palette, the space suggests routine with a hint of repression. Mary Ellen Stebbins’ light design subtly yet suitably accents the set and story, as does the sound design of Bahar Royaee. Dina El-Aziz's costume design captures the quiet elegance of Iranian culture, balancing modesty, individuality, and the space between modernity and tradition. Each character’s garments display a level of connection to their culture, adding a layer of storytelling where clothing choice is a language of its own.

The synergy of the production, created by this beautifully written play, is heightened only by the authenticity of each actor’s experiences and their connection to their mother tongue—proving unequivocally that representation matters in authentic storytelling. This production explores themes of necessity, communication, and identity, while lending itself as a visual aid towards the understanding of cultural erasure. The irony of the portrayal of fluency, in the language of a country that has notoriously disregarded the beauty of cultures of foreign nations (in what feels like a reverse Tower of Babel, but to the end of domination rather than communication), is not lost on the audience. Even with the specificity of the exploration of Iranian culture, the themes of this story transcend culture, unifying us in our desire to be heard, understood, and felt in our own tongues.

English has been extended through to November 8th at TheaterWorks Hartford with talkbacks scheduled on select dates—an excellent opportunity to hear from the cast and crew members of this profound production. For tickets, visit https://twhartford.org/.