Learning another language is like becoming another person.
— Haruki Murakami
In 2008 Iran, four very different people struggle to learn a new language—a language that promises new opportunities, both personal and professional. It may not flow as naturally or sound as pleasing as their native Farsi, but that hardly matters. English holds a global primacy that cannot be ignored. For those aspiring to build a life beyond Karaj, they had better get with the program. And that program would be TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language.
From this inauspicious premise, playwright Sanaz Toossi crafts English, a funny yet deeply thoughtful play that examines much more than just learning a second language. Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, the production, which opened tonight at the Todd Haimes Theater, delves into how acquiring English–and by extension the norms of Western society–impacts not only one’s native tongue but one’s identity as well. Boasting a powerhouse cast and assured direction by Knud Adams, English–the 2023 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Drama–delivers an insightful, sometimes uncomfortable, but ultimately worthwhile lesson.
The play unfolds in a classroom in Karaj, where 18-year-old Goli does her best to present her “Show and Tell” assignment on an eyebrow pencil. Her kind and patient teacher, Marjan, coaches her along, encouraging her and the class to speak English as much as possible. The rest of the class—anxious graduate student Elham, stately grandmother Roya, and the bright but enigmatic young man Omid—–try to follow Goli’s presentation. “Show and Tell” is just one of the exercises Marjan employs to help her students navigate the challenges of learning English.
As weeks pass, each student gets their turn in front, revealing their individual motivations: Goli finds joy in learning because it’s fun; Elham must pass for her career; Roya hopes to reconnect with her Westernized son; and Omid, already proficient, seems to harbor a mysterious agenda. Marjan, who spent years in Manchester, champions the benefits of English and the world it opens up. But questions loom: Is the personal cost of learning English too high? Do they truly want to learn, or do they have to learn? And how attached is Marjan to the English-speaking world she promotes?
The genius of Toossi’s writing is in its exploration of Marjan’s internal conflict. While the other characters have clear reasons for learning English, Marjan embodies the tension between assimilation and maintaining one’s original identity. Portrayed with beautifully layered nuance by Marjan Neshat, the teacher reflects on how loud her voice sounds (to her) when speaking English, and a number of characters express how speaking a second language alters one’s sense of self. For English-speaking audience members, this prompts potentially uncomfortable self-reflection: How much do others endure to learn English and assimilate into another culture, and to what extent are we complicit in their struggles?
Though Toossi’s episodic structure occasionally disrupts the flow, the play still packs a collective emotional punch thanks to a stellar cast. The statuesque and beautiful Pooya Mohseni is funny yet devastating as Roya, a mother yearning to bridge the cultural divide with her distant son. Ava Lalezarzadeh is endearing as the youngest member, Goli. Hadi Tabbal intrigues as Omid, whose motives remain ambiguous. Meanwhile, the powerful Tala Ashe stuns as the rebellious Elham–a grad student who HAS to pass this proficiency exam; Ashe is both heart-breaking and a bit grating (in a good way), delivering a raw, insightful and often funny portrayal of a young woman struggling to succeed.
The production design amplifies the themes beautifully. Marsha Ginsberg’s revolving, four-walled classroom creates the sensation of looking in from the outside, echoing the experience of assimilation. Enver Chakartash’s beautifully authentic costumes clearly delineates each character’s personality and journey. Sinan Refik Zafrar’s sound design effectively uses classical music to underscore the play’s shifting moods.
As debates around immigration and national identity continue to shape American discourse, English pulls back the curtain on the experience of those on the other side of the debate. Written in response to the Muslim Travel Ban of 2017, Toossi humanizes the experience of learning English and the complex reasons behind it, as trying to understand another person’s struggle is a lesson worth learning—in any language.
photos by Joan Marcus and Maria Baranova
English
Roundabout Theatre Company
Todd Haimes Theatre, 227 West 42nd St
ends on March 2, 2025
for tickets, visit Roundabout
