Someone in a Tree2 said: "For anyone else who’s seen it, please explain to me the beat where the maid translates the inscription on the back of the old photo— was her Hungarian different than the neutral English translation she first offers? And why wouldn’t Ben tell us what she said? Odd dangling questions like this haunted us all the way home. "
I saw the production at the Geffen a few days ago and thought it was really good and very funny. I wasn't bored at any point which I think is the worst thing a piece of entertainment can do. If anyone's in the LA area, I recommend going! I sat in a cheap $30 seat at the very side orchestra and could see everything just fine - no need to splurge on this one.
In regards to your question, I think it was just supposed to be a moving moment for the family to reflect on the hardships their ancestors went through not too far in the past. The reading in English was probably interesting to them, but hearing it in the language it was written in probably made it all the more real for the characters. I think the moment showed that although each member of the family is flawed and quite superficial on the surface (at least Jodi and Ben are), deep down they do have emotion. That's what I took from it, at least, though I did have the same question initially.
Updated On: 9/10/19 at 04:58 PM