Rebel with a Cause: Domnica Radulescu’s Theater Translated into Spanish

Abstract

This paper focuses on Domnica Radulescu’s creative solutions when deconstructing myths, stereotypes, and prejudices and on the translator’s responses. In Domnica Radulescu’s plays, Exile is My Home and The Virgins of Seville (compiled, in their Spanish versions, in Dos Obras Dramáticas/Two Plays), the translator’s knowledge of both the author’s background and the target readership’s duality (Spanish host society and Romanian migrants) plays an important role in her decisions. Acknowledging that theater as a genre directly exposes hybridity of the author, translator, actors, and audience, this paper discusses the cultural context underpinning the original texts and translational options. At the same time, the reception of the translation into Spanish is partially confirmed through a small survey of Romanian diaspora and Spanish readers.