I’ve translated a score of plays for theatre companies, festivals and more – get in touch to learn more!
Theatre Translator
Classic and contemporary plays from Denmark and Norway
Theatre translation has played a vital role in my career as a translator, ever since my translation of Benny Andersen’s radio play, The Contract Killer. The translation was performed, published, and produced as a podcast in one crazy year that forged my path as a translator. I have gone on to translate a range of classic playwrights such as Henrik Ibsen and by contemporary playwrights such as Anne Bro, Jakob Weis and Simone Isabel Nørgaard. I am also closely involved with Foreign Affairs theatre company, serving as head of translation for their theatre translator mentorship programme.
Theatre translation combines my love of storytelling and dialogue that really sings. Hearing professional actors read out my words is one of the most thrilling things I’ve ever experienced!
As the 2025 BCLT Translator in Residence, I explored how techniques from the theatre world can be applied to translating other literary genres.
I’m currently developing my next theatre project, which saw a rehearsed reading of Alexander Mayah Larsen’s Like Brothers presented at the Orange Tree Theatre .
Get in touch to discuss your next theatre translation project!
hej [at] paulrussellgarrett.com
Listen
The format is simple: two theatre makers, five questions each …
In this episode, playwright Simone Isabel Nørgaard and translator Paul Russell Garrett, come together online to discuss their work on The Earth’s Core.
The podcast was developed in connection with a rehearsed reading of the play in March 2023 produced by Foreign Affairs theatre company.
Supported by the Danish Arts Foundation.