Lost in Translation?

As an actor, analyzing plays as works of literature usually leaves me frustrated and wanting more. There is something magical about experiencing a play during a read-through, with each character being interpreted and uniquely represented by the actor. It is an actor’s job to bring his/her character to life, and exploring a script in light of this goal illuminates a play in a way that cannot be matched analyzing the same play as an English student. Paula Vogel’s The Mineola Twins is the first play I have encountered which is an exception to this rule. Vogel succeeds in making the story of almost identical twins Myra and Myrna both a compelling play and a powerful piece of literature. She beautifully manipulates the medium of the play to expose the intricacies of distorted relationships and explore the depths of her characters without the encumbrance of superfluous third-person narration.
Vogel’s use of stage directions contributes significantly to the success of the play as a work of literature. Most directors will tell his/her actors to ignore the stage directions in the script they are rehearsing, a request which would do Vogel’s play a great disservice. Vogel uses stage directions not only to communicate her vision of the play but also as an opportunity to flesh out her characters and provide a subtle commentary. In Dream Sequence Number Three, Vogel uses stage directions to lead us directly to the core of Myrna’s character in a way that no other literary genre would allow.

“(Another phone call. Myrna stares at it, not wanting to answer, but finally she does. . . Myra’s high school voice fills the air; the electroshock therapy noise rises as the current passes through Myrna’s headset. Breathing and heart beats up.)”

Vogel brings Myrna to life with these few italicized words. She captures Myrna’s desperation in her stage directions and elevates the character to a level that is arguably beyond the reach of even the most talented actress. Instead of missing something when read outside the context of theatre, The Mineola Twins possesses a magic in its existence as a piece of literature that would be lost in the play’s translation to the stage.