“English”

English, a play written by Sanaz Toossi, an Iranian American playwright, is set in 2008 in Karaj, Iran, in a classroom bustling with energy. A small cohort of students has eagerly registered for an English language course, each to refine their linguistic skills. At the helm of this educational journey stands Marjan, a poised and dignified English teacher portrayed by Roxanna Hope Radja. Her unwavering insistence on the exclusive use of English within the classroom sets the tone for a challenging yet rewarding learning environment. A sign on her desk reminds them of the rule but frequently breaks into Farsi, the modern Persian language, to express complex thoughts.  To convey the characters' native language to an audience unfamiliar with Farsi, the playwright has chosen to have them speak in unaccented English and use props, rom-coms, and American music to display the distinctive differences between the languages. However, they grace the audience with their beautiful dialect at the end of the production. The play delves into the complexities and pressures of acquiring a new language required for immigration or other significant opportunities. It effectively portrays the struggles of speaking fluently without revealing an accent and the resulting impact of prejudice and negative comments. Its profound impact on their individuality raises questions about how far people will go to fit into other cultures without losing their identity.  The other four cast members feature Roya (Sahar Bibiyan), who desires to learn English so she can stay with her son, who lives in Canada and wants his daughter to grow up as a Canadian citizen, not speaking Farsi. However, he has stipulated that she must learn English before visiting. She frantically called him, saying the little English she had learned; however, her calls went to voicemail. The student known for being the most competitive Elham (Nikki Massoud) feels frustrated due to her slow progress in learning English. She has received a conditional acceptance to medical school in Australia, but the language requirement threatens to derail her plans. She has taken the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) numerous times and fears her hatred for the language may void her acceptance of becoming a doctor. Goli (Shadee Vossoughi), who was outstanding as Leyla in Selling Kubal, is 18 and loves American makeup and Ricky Martin songs. Unlike Farsi, where she feels ignored and inconsequential, she associates the English language with the freedom to express herself as she pleases, likening it to something that effortlessly stays afloat on water. Additionally, she perceives that she garners more attentive listeners when communicating in English. Omid (Pej Vahdat), who my wife Brenda immediately remembered seeing in Fox's Empire featuring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, is the only man in the class and the most fluent of the students, and his English pronunciation and vocabulary are more fluent than Marjan's. Marjan and Omid develop a fondness, but his arranged engagement cools off the blossoming romance. 

Toossi's storytelling attempts to delve deeply into the characters, portraying Roya's yearning to be with her son and granddaughter in Canada. The disappointment she experiences upon learning that her son only wants her to visit, as well as her frustration with her son's name change to assimilate into the culture, erasing their heritage. Nevertheless, the narrative falls short in exploring the profound reasons behind the anguish of these four classmates as they leave their homeland. In 2008, Iran was facing severe economic challenges, with individuals being detained for their political beliefs, prospective candidates being barred from participating in elections, and journalists and linguistic leaders being targeted. Additionally, more than 130 juvenile offenders were handed death sentences during this time. Toossi appears hesitant to incorporate certain tragic events into the narrative that prompt individuals to depart from their beloved homeland, where they endure the challenge of learning a new language in pursuit of a better future — more dialogue addressing the challenges that immigrants face when coming to America, such as adapting to a new culture and dealing with racism and prejudices; which would make this production a powerful and memorable play.

Director Hamid Dehghani, a native of Iran, is all too familiar with the pressures of leaving his homeland to pursue a better life and explaining something that most Americans didn't know about coming to the States. There is actually a TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language, and several other countries require language proficiency to apply for a visa, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Romania, and Switzerland. Dehghani tells the story about years of struggles learning the language and still having pronunciation issues, yet proudly living between two languages. "English" highlights Americans' misconceptions and naivete about foreign languages and the challenges of learning a foreign language and adapting to life in a foreign society. The part of the play where the characters struggle to understand a fast-paced conversation in English reflects the common experience people endure when they can't interpret the words as the conversation moves too fast to comprehend. Although "English" is limited in scope," English" is a captivating and insightful story depicting immigrants' isolated journey as they weave their culture into the fabric of the American dream without losing their identity.

⭐⭐⭐

Goodman Theatre

English

By Sanaz Toosi

Directed by Hamid Dehghani

May 10 – June 16, 2024

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