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Henry VIII performed in Spanish, by Rakata. (C) Ellie Kurttz

I presume the organizers of the festival are very pleased with Rakatá’s production of Henry VIII…

The Merchant of Venice in Hebrew by Habima National Theatre (C) Simon Kane

The Globe to Globe performance of The Merchant of Venice by Israel’s Habima Theatre was unavoidably different from all others in the Festival…

The Taming of the Shrew in Urdu by Wallay Theatre (C) Simon Annand

Theatre Wallay’s Shrew began with the dignified but genial Salman Shahid – the production’s Baptista – announcing that the performance would be in Urdu…

The Winter's Tale in Yoruba by Renegade Theatre (C) Simon Annand

There are no bears in Nigeria, or at least it would seem so, from the opening moments of the reworking of The Winter’s Tale by the Renegade Theatre Company of Lagos….

All's Well that Ends Well performed in Gujarati by Arapana, (c) Ellie Kurttz

It is not unusual to note that, when adapting classical English texts that particularly deal with class systems and social hierarchies, from Shakespeare to Austen, the Indian caste system lends itself particularly well to direct translation…

Coriolanus in Japanese by Chiten (C) Simon Annand

Four people step onto the stage; one carries a fifth on his back. Two on-stage musicians provide the soundtrack. There are echoes of Noh theatre about the scene – some of the actors are even carrying masks….

As You Like It performed in Georgian by Marjanishvili Theatre (C) John Haynes

The Marjanishvili Theatre from Tablisi, Georgia, presents a delightful As You Like It which places the concept of ‘play’ at its centre….

King Lear in Belarusian by Belarus Free Theatre (C) Simon Kane

In their radically adapted version of King Lear, performed in Belarusian, exiled company Belarus Free Theatre refashions tragedy as burlesque…

Henry IV Part 2 by Elkafka Espacio Teatral, Argentina. Performed in Spanish. (C) Ellie Kurttz

The rejection of Falstaff appears, here, not just good politics, but a generally good and necessary idea…

Henry IV Part 1 by Compania Nacional de Teatro, Mexico performed in Spanish (C) Ellie Kurttz

This company received no less than four curtain calls. Amazing. So the question is simply: how did they do it?