Should you perform Shakespeare with an accent?

The short answer is NO. Unless a particular dialect is specifically requested by the auditors, you will *always want to use your NATURAL speaking voice.

Should you use an accent in an audition?

Whenever you audition for a role in which an accent is associated always ask, “Is an accent required for the audition?” If you don’t ask, they won’t tell. Arm yourself with knowledge of accents (type and usage) before going in front of auditors. That’s the best way to apply accents at auditions.

What accent should Shakespeare be read in?

The eminent Shakespearean scholar John Barton has suggested that Shakespeare’s accent would have sounded to modern ears like a cross between a contemporary Irish, Yorkshire and West Country accent. Others say that the speech of Elizabethans was much quicker than it is in modern-day Shakespeare productions.

How do you speak in a Shakespearean accent?

Tips For Talking Like Shakespeare

1. Instead of “you,” say “thou.” Instead of “y’all,” say “thee.” Thy, Thine and Ye are all good pronouns, too.
2. Rhymed couplets are all the rage.
3. Men are “sirrah,” ladies are “mistress,” and your friends are all called “cousin.”

How do you prepare for an audition for Shakespeare?

10 Helpful Tips for Performing Shakespeare (for Beginners)

1. Read the whole play.
2. Familiarize yourself with iambic pentameter.
3. Don’t stop at the end of a line unless there is a period!
4. Don’t know a word?
5. Learn to paraphrase.
6. Get your hands on a copy of the First Folio.
7. Warm up your voice.
8. Do those diction exercises!

Should I do an accent for a monologue?

Avoid accents unless you’re truly expert. Additionally, many auditors talk about how they sigh wearily to themselves whenever someone busts out a Southern accent (unless the play calls for it), because they are astonishingly overused in audition situations. Avoid the monologues that are ludicrously overdone.

How do you speak like an Elizabethan?

Did people actually speak in Shakespearean English?

The first thing to remember about Shakespeare’s work is that he wrote plays to entertain. They are dramatic works, and the dialogue was manipulated to suit the stage. Therefore his characters’ language did not always reflect how real people would have spoken.

How accurate is the RP/upper class English accent in Shakespearean acting?

That means the RP/upper class English accent which has become analogous with Shakespearean acting, is in fact less accurate than a run of the mill US accent. The point of the story: Always use your natural voice and accent when performing Shakespeare. The process… If you’ve read my articles before you know I go on about this a lot, but guess what?

How do I become an actor in Shakespeare plays?

The more seasoned Shakespeare group will usually give you an audition time. If you are fortunate enough to get an audition time, keep it. Tons of actors submit to ads but if you are offered a time slot you have already passed an initial selection process.

Should Shakespeare be performed in certain ways?

Many actors have the notion that Shakespeare must be performed in a certain way. Usually we imagine Richard Burton, or Laurence Olivier speaking with a perfect RP accent, in period costume, presenting a role that doesn’t really resemble the acting we binge watch every night on Netflix.

How long does it take to audition for Shakespeare?

The old advice of “audition for everything” works great on paper but not in practice. Most Shakespeare auditions can take a few minutes but those running it can be there for several hours or all day and when we see someone we like its like a breath of fresh air and we get excited about the possibilities.