Presented by: Theresa McElwee –
To be held online over Zoom:
This 5-session workshop focuses on some of the most commonly used dialects in the actor’s toolbox, London Accents. In this workshop, you will explore the signature sounds and intonation patterns of four London accents: Cockney, Received Pronunciation (“Standard British”), Estuary, and Multicultural London English.
Topics explored include research and rehearsal techniques, finding freedom and flexibility, and the challenge of accessing emotional life while speaking in an unfamiliar way. All actors will work on a monologue of their choosing, as well as very short scenes. Texts will be drawn from the works of playwrights including Oscar Wilde, Joe Orton, Nick Payne and Kwame Kwei-Armah.
Essential for every actor, skills underlying British accents can be applied to characters and plays from around the world, reaching far beyond the UK. Due to the expanse of the colonial British empire, Standard British exerted large influence on African, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian accents. Therefore, even today, non-native speakers of English are exposed to and learn English not with an American accent, but with a Standard British accent — meaning, a solid foundation in Standard British will equip you with skills for performing dialects from many cultures and nationalities across the globe.