Theater
 

Do you enjoy theater that requires concentration to understand what is being said? I'm not talking sound I'm talking language. Tonight whilst sitting in the local uni's theater I started thinking how difficult it must be for non native speakers to watch a movie or go to a play. I spent 3 hours in translation.

I've never been to anything I couldn't understand yet but I've only been to a handfull.

Actually I don't.

I don't mind movies with subtitles but when it comes to theater if I can't follow along because of language I'll soon be fidgeting in my seat and checking my watch to see how much time until intermission.

It's an interesting experience but I'd just as soon see something that is in a language (or even dialect for that matter) that I can understand.

No.

Yes, sometimes. I enjoy the occasional opera (in another language such as German or Italian) and I've learned to appreciate Indian cultural programs....but generally it's more fun if oyu can participate actively.

With my tastes in music, I am in the osuche camp on this one.

I've watched movies in Japanese and Spanish before, with English subtitles, but I try to concentrate on what is being said so that my foreign language skills improve.

How did that compare to spending 3 hours in restaints?

Generally I prefer the dialogue to be in English, but there have been exceptions. Some war movies have had the "enemy" speak in their own language, and that can add a bit of credibility to the scene. Mel Brooks movie on the Passion was interesting using Latin and Aramaic (subtitled). For some reason, it wasn't as distracting as I thought it would be.

My wife and I went to an Opera in Peoria sung in Italian (of course), but they had a scrolling translation of the words streaming above the stage where it wasn't distracting and provided a nice touch to the program. A very positive experience.