The date is 1833 and the setting a small rural "hedge school" in County Donegal.

Change is coming to the Gaelic-speaking villagers, who are taught Latin and ancient Greek by their half-cut schoolmaster, Hugh, played by the aptly-named Kenny Ireland.

The English have arrived in the form of the pompous non-Irish-speaking Captain Lancey and the impressionably romantic Lieutenant Yolland.

Through the helpful "translation" of Owen, Hugh's prodigal son, the English set about changing the Gaelic names of towns for a new ordinance map.

What starts off as a joyous high-spirited play on words soon turns into a poignant reminder of the inevitability of change, with its cultural and political ramifications.

Playwright Brian Friel makes no bones about the destructiveness of holding on to the past. "To remember everything is a form of madness," muses Jimmy Jack, the oldest scholar in town.

The National Theatre touring cast put in an excellent performance as they stumble towards the end of their cultural identity.

The tragic consequences for those who try to bridge the divide is hinted at through the disappearance of Lieutenant Yolland in the final act.

Seduced in equal parts by the beauty of local girl Maire and his surroundings, his absence sparks a series of events which remain tantalisingly ambiguous as the drama reaches a climax.

A powerful and evocative play beautifully acted by the cast, Translations is a rich tapestry of cultural and linguistic disharmony.

Running until Saturday, September 24