Do you accent?

[tiberiusflynn]

I usually do a lower class British with a slight scots edge every so often, as my character is originally from Scotland but has left home many many years ago.

I've done accents for years as mentioned directly above, I grew up on all the British Comedies. I've even fooled several brits and one old scottish lady. My one problem, when to stop. Apparently, I continued to talk in it even when fairs over....and especially when highly inebriated. My friends tell me that its my natural accent and my american accent was forced on me as a child, LOL.

[Merlin]

I'm Scottish... my great grandmother had a thick accent but we have Texanized so much that it's lost. On simple sentences..I can pull off a good accent but in general..I do not because if you can't do the accent well...it comes across.... just bad.

So in short... I donnae uz tha oxcent often.

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

Estuary, these days.  Also known as "Mockney".  Goes with the suit and the screwdriver.  And the TARDIS, best not forget that! 

[Lady Neysa]

It's amazing how one can get rid of, then pick up an accent so quickly.  Long ago, I worked with a guy who talked in a typical "American" accent.  He went on vacation for a few weeks and came back speaking a thick Scottish brogue.  I wondered, "what's with the accent?"  I didn't know he had gone visiting family in Scotland for a month! 

As far as faire accent, couldn't do it to save my life. I've tried and failed miserably, sounding like an idiot. Not even a properly sounding idiot.

[DonaCatalina]

Oh you probably sound better than you think.
And I do believe that it gets easier with practice.

[Rowan MacD]

  Indeed!  At more than a few faires I have noticed that the royalty and court don't really bother with a pronounced 'accent' so to speak; All they really do is avoid the use of contractions like can't, won't, didn't etc.  and modern names and terms for common items and events.   A Lady or gentleman in garb can speak unaccented US English using the above rules, and the majority of patrons will register what they are saying in BFA.
   An example of this:  If you watch old movies from the 1930's and 40's carefully, you may notice that the American actors and actresses who are cast as foreigners (Chinese, Indian, Arab and even medieval England) and some actually sounded like they came from New Jersey.  Remember Errol Flynn?  Elizabeth Taylor?  Joan Fontaine?  Most moviegoers never noticed the lack of an even remotely accurate accent. In fact most of the American actors sounded alike... 
  A fun tutorial here if you want to go the extra mile...
  http://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/transatlantic-accent/


 

[tiberiusflynn]

Errol Flynn was Australian raised for almost 30 years and trained in england, so I can't imagine him sounding like he was from jersey..........while elizabeth taylor was british she was raised in american since the age of 3 so, her accent might have been off.

One of my issues is, I watch so much british films and do an accent so much, I have a hard time actually HEARING a british accent unless it's incredibly thick. My brain just accepts it as normal, lol.

[Merlin the Elder]

Rowen, you mean, like that totally awesome period accent Kevin Costner used in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves?  ...the same accent he's used in every movie he's ever done? LOL!

[Rowan MacD]

  knightofistari-I remember Liz doing the title roll in Cleopatra-I don't recall her sounding middle eastern in that one, but I loved the costumes.  I think Liz had the 'transatlantic accent' down to a science.

  @Merlin-Costner! *cringe* I should have remembered ''Prince of Thieves'; I must have blocked it out. 
  However, I think Alan Rickman was great in that movie...LMAO. 


We should have a thread for the worst period movies ever made....

[Merlin the Elder]

Alan Rickman is great in everything! See him in Bottleshock?

Any accent I do is a mix of at least a half-dozen dialects from all over the UK. Over the years, I've been around a lot of musicians from all over the area. Bits and pieces from Edinburgh to Dublin, to London, and no clue how to differentiate.

[Rowan MacD]

Alan Rickman is great in everything! See him in Bottleshock?

Any accent I do is a mix of at least a half-dozen dialects from all over the UK. Over the years, I've been around a lot of musicians from all over the area. Bits and pieces from Edinburgh to Dublin, to London, and no clue how to differentiate.

  Well, legend has it that Merlin was well traveled.  You could make up a language and pass it off 

   Haven't seen Bottleshock yet,  but as a Napa wine lover (and native Californian) you bet I will!

[Bob of the Lake]

  Indeed!  At more than a few faires I have noticed that the royalty and court don't really bother with a pronounced 'accent' so to speak; All they really do is avoid the use of contractions like can't, won't, didn't etc.  and modern names and terms for common items and events.   A Lady or gentleman in garb can speak unaccented US English using the above rules, and the majority of patrons will register what they are saying in BFA.    

This is pretty much what I do. I'm comfortable with the period words and phrases--just can't do the accent.

[Rowan MacD]

   I do the same.  Sometimes a particularly good accent can lead to some really interesting situations, particularly when it is a language other than English. 
   We have a young man here who does a really good french accent which he is justifiably proud of, even though he doesn't speak a word of french beyond 'oui' and 'Pardonne-moi'. 
   This worked for quite a few seasons..until last year when a French-Canadian lady started chatting him up, and he was finally forced to drop character (blushing furiously) to explain himself.   Much amusement was had by all, and the young man has sworn to learn some rudimentary french by this faire season. 
 

[DonaCatalina]

I don't usually speak in anything but English. One of our former cast members who played a Spanish character didn't speak a word of Spanish beyond si and buenos dias. I inadvertently flustered him out of character one day by speaking to him in Spanish. So I try not to repeat that faux pas.

[Rowan MacD]

   Actually, one of his fellow cast members put the Canadian lady up to it, so that she was not embarrassed by catching him out.  Fun was had by all at his expense, because he was such a stickler for staying in character(which is not a bad thing).