World Literature Today – July 01, 2019

Q&A

Co-translating Hanoch Levin,

the “Beckett of Israel”

A Conversation with Jessica Cohen & Evan Fallenberg

by Janice Weizman

Although Hanoch Levin (1943–1999) is arguably Israel’s most important

playwright, his work is almost unknown in the English-speaking world.

Jessica Cohen and Evan Fallenberg, both acclaimed Hebrew-English

translators, were recently commissioned by the Institute of Israeli Drama to

undertake a translation of five of Levin’s plays (The Thin Soldier, Walkers

in the Dark, Krum, The Child Dreams, and The Lamenters) into English.

I met with them in Tel Aviv, Levin’s hometown, to speak about the joys and

challenges of translating what are considered to be classic works of Modern

Hebrew, their decision to co-translate, and the anticipation of making the

plays accessible to English-speaking directors and audiences. FALLENBERG PHOTO ©

CATHY RAFF

42 W LT SUMMER 2019