Greek dramatic dialogue: Η Αυλή των Θαυμάτων Ιάκωβος Καμπανέλλης

[Theseus]

To me, it's a bit of a depressing play about the lack of work for Greeks in the fifties.

Excerpt: - Some idioms I don’t really understand.

Μπάμπης –-- θα φύγω να δω τη γεια μου...[to see to my health?] θα βγάλω χαρτιά {I’ll get the necessary paperwork?], θα παω στην Αυστραλία.

And a little later: --- κι αν είσαι λίγο καπάτσος να στήσεις μια δική σου δουλίτσα [and if you are shrewd enough to start your own little business, Πάει.... [it suits me]...[??]αυτό
είναι... [that's it]... πήρες τ’ απάνω [you’ve got it made???].

 

[SBE]

OK, here are my approximations:

Μπάμπης –-- θα φύγω να δω τη γεια μου...θα βγάλω χαρτιά, θα παω στην Αυστραλία.
I'll leave to see better days. I'll get a passport, I'll go to Australia

--- κι αν είσαι λίγο καπάτσος να στήσεις μια δική σου δουλίτσα
Here I'm not sure whether καπάτσος and δουλίτσα mean a small business or it's a euphemism for setting up some illegal or semi-legal job

Πάει.... αυτό είναι... πήρες τ’ απάνω
Then that's it, you landed on your feet

 

[nickel]

κι αν είσαι λίγο καπάτσος να στήσεις μια δική σου δουλίτσα

This may well have a straightforward translation: if you're enterprising enough to set up your own business.

 

[Hellegennes]

I agree with the translation for "να δω τη γεια μου" which is equivalent also to "να βρω τη γεια μου", which depending on the context may also mean "for not to worry any more".

The phrase "θα βγάλω χαρτιά", though, does not mean anything so particular as a passport. It does refer to paperwork and depending on the context may refer to a practice to licence something, or the documents necessary for travel. I would argue that in this case it's better to translate that as "visa", "green card" or whatever you would need to get a permanent job in Australia and leave to remain.

I would also argue that "δουλίτσα" means a legitimate, small business, judging from the phrasing. Not anything illegal.

"Πάει" and "αυτό είναι" essentially mean the same thing, Here it is used to make the expression stronger. I Agree with SBE's translation on this.

 

[Marinos]

Rather legal than illegal (I know the play, we had it in a school theatre group!). For the paperwork, one should find out what was needed to emigrate in the mid-50s. It must be more than a passport, since the character has somebody (a crook, actually) issue the papers.