Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Bowman, Martin
Quebec-based theatre translator specializing in vernacular languages. Martin Bowman's parents immigrated from Scotland; he was born in Montreal, and grew up in Verdun. He attended Verdun High School; McGill University (Honours B.A. 1967 in English, M.A.1969), Edinburgh University (1978-80 School of Scottish Studies); University of Montreal (Ph.D 1981). From 1972 to 2005, he taught English at Champlain College (CEGEP) in St. Lambert, Quebec.
With Bill Findlay of Scotland, Martin Bowman translated eleven plays by Quebec playwrights for Scots and Canadian audiences, eight of which were by Michel Tremblay. The Tremblay translations into Scots were published in 2023 by the Association for Scottish Literature in Glasgow: Michel Tremblay: Plays in Scots, Volume One (The Guid Sisters, The Real Wurld?, Hosanna, and Forever Yours, Marie-Lou); Michel Tremblay: Plays in Scots, Volume Two (The House among the Stars; Albertine, in Five Times; Solemn Mass for a Full Moon in Summer; If Only. . ..
Many of his Scottish translations were performed at Tron Theatre in Glasgow and Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, including Tremblay's Les Belles-Soeurs as The Guid Sisters (which also played at Centaur Theatre in Montreal) and Messe solennelle pour une pleine lune d'été as Solemn Mass for a Full Moon in Summer. Other works include Jeanne-Mance Delisle's Un "Reel" ben beau, ben triste (The Reel of the Hanged Man); Michel-Marc Bouchard's Les feluettes (The Skelfs); and Dominic Champagne's La Répétition (The Rehearsal).
At the invitation of Pierre Bernard, Artistic Director of Théâtre de Quat'Sous, he collaborated with Wajdi Mouawad on a French translation of Harry Gibson`s dramatic adaptation of Irvine Welsh`s novel, Trainspotting, produced in 1998. Bowman again collaborated with Mouawad in the translation of Enda Walsh's Disco Pigs for Théâtre de Poche in Brussels. He also translated Un oiseau vivant dans la gueule by Jeanne-Mance Delisle.
In 2007, Martin Bowman was awarded a Medal of the Faculty of Arts and Science by the University of Montreal in recognition of his contribution to Quebec culture internationally through theatre translations.
Source: Stéphane Baillargeon."Un joual vivant dans la gorge," Le Devoir, 11 April 2000.
Profile by Gaetan Charlebois and Anne Nothof. Additional information and update by Martin Bowman.
Last updated 2023-08-21
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