Theatre

[carlfoxmarten]

Just noticed that rehearsals for this year's pantomime starts next weekend!
=0.0=

This year we're doing Sleeping Beauty, and what surprises me about things is that our director has had to write the script from scratch as we haven't done it before...
(she's written enough scripts that we've almost been coasting on updated scripts the last few years)

Again, I'll be in the chorus, as I'm not confident enough to try a character role yet.
First read-through is next week, so while I've read the script (and even with the voices of several people involved in my head), I still need the director's guidance as to tone.
(plus the songs involved were not included in the first draft)

—~—~—

The theatre company is also going to perform a play in March of 2015, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie.
One indication I received was that parts are paid, as opposed to the panto where involvement is voluntary.

I'm quite interested in trying out a more traditional Theatre role, but there is one requirement I'm not sure I can handle.

As it says on the audition page:
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL ENGLISH ACCENTS ONLY.

I'll be talking to one of the people involved and see what that's about at the read-through...

Comments

[thefoxaroo.livejournal.com]

Just as long as they don't ask you to play the mouse (I'm being facitious here. I'm not actually famliar with this specific play, but I adore Agatha Christie mysteries).

You could probably learn to emulate an English accent from watching UK television, depending on the particular regional accent the theatre want. My natural accent is rarely taken as Aussie. I've told the story quite a few times about how when I was in your country nearly everyone assumed I was from England, *including* a lady who herself was from South London. I'm convinced it's due to all the brit TV I've watched, and being a mad fan of the goon show.

[carlfoxmarten]

I've already seen quite a lot of Britcoms, as well as some of their detective shows (widely ranging in era, of course).

From Are You Being Served to The Goode Life to (grudgingly) Last of the Summer Wine, from Campion to Poirot to Miss Marple, from The Last Detective to New Tricks to Death in Paradise.

All these shows have one thing (aside from being British) in common: They all have a sense of humour.

Unfortunately, my normal voice is an amalgam of various inflections I've heard before from various movies, American, British or otherwise.
There are tutorials available that deal with this, but many of them are not free...

[thefoxaroo.livejournal.com]

I think it's because I aspired to speak in the manner of certain brit characters rather their being a vague influence on my speech patterns. In particular the Theatre Director, Henry Gordon Jago, a minor character from the Dr Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang enthralled me with his impressive vocabulary and alliteration. If you ever have the chance to watch this serial you'll see what I mean.

Oh, also I felt some repugnance toward the coarse, unrefined dialogue of my father and sister. I think that drove me to improve myself in terms of verbal communication.

[carlfoxmarten]

I should probably listen to a recording of my voice to see what it sounds like at present too.
I remember making a recording of... something, probably radio-host-inspired or something, way back when I was a kid.

If I'm recalling things correctly, I think it was some kind of British accent, with a decidedly Southern US twang... =0.o=

[thefoxaroo.livejournal.com]

Couldn't tell you if your voice has US inflections - my interpretation of accents isn't that accurate. I also avoid listening to my own voice - I've always hated it.

I just do my best to imitate other people. Foxaroo hear, foxaroo speak.