Surtitles were first used in opera in the 1980s but they have now become the rule rather than the exception and have contributed largely to the increased popularity of opera (Mateo 2007).
Surtitles in the theatre, however, are a relatively new phenomenon and their characteristics and uses differ significantly from their predecessor’s. Surtitling for the theatre presents a number of new challenges that force translators to rethink their translation strategies but that also offer new possibilities in translation and research, as well as artistically when surtitles surpass their mere functional purpose (Carlson 2000).
Providing surtitles for the theatre is complex at best and impossible in some cases. This paper will explore the limits of this new translation mode but it will also challenge the belief of many directors that surtitles are disruptive and undermine the quality of their work. This belief is based on facts, to some extent, but is also the result of ignorance of the versatility of this new medium and directors’ unwillingness to work with the surtitlers or the surtitling team (Griesel 2008).
Indeed, surtitling does offer new possibilities. Some theatre companies have started using them beyond their mere functional and informative function and have integrated them into their performances by using expressive fonts and letter sizes or even having actors comment on them or demanding them to be switched off because “the following is not intended for French ears”. However, the new possibilities are not limited to new ways of artistic expression. Surtitling also makes the theatre accessible to a larger audience and it allows companies to travel.
The focus of the present paper will be, firstly, the way in which the maker of the product is directly confronted with the effect of the surtitles and what is required for this to have a beneficial influence on his/her attitude. Secondly, the paper will analyse two performances in which the director has moved one step beyond this conservative attitude and creatively uses surtitles to enhance his performance.
Surtitling, like other forms of audiovisual translation (AVT), is forever evolving and taking on new shapes, which makes the study of AVT generally a challenging enterprise. With this paper I hope to inspire more people to take on AVT research.

References
Carlson, M. (2000) “The Semiotics of Supertitles.“ Assaph. nº 16, 2000: 77-90.
Griesel, Y. (2008). “Theatre surtitles - possibilities and limits”, lecture given at the symposium on surtitling Ondertiteling. Daar kijk je van op , Artesis University College, March 6th 2008.
Mateo, M. (2007) “Surtitling today: new uses, attitudes and developments”, Linguistica Antverpiensa, 2007:6 (135-154)

An VERVECKEN studied drama before starting her studies in translation at the Department of Translators and Interpreters, Artesis University College Antwerp (Belgium) in 2004. She obtained both her bachelor’s degree (2008) and her master’s degree (2009) with honours, writing her master thesis on surtitling. For her research she worked with two Flemish theatres, the Kaaitheater in Brussels and deSingel in Antwerp and with several international theatre companies. In October and November she will be accompanying Arthur Nauzyciel and the American Repertoiry Theater on their tour of France, to provide the surtitles for their performance of King Lear.