Speaking with a cockney accent

Question

I am in a theatre production that requires me to use a cockney accent any suggesting on how to use one? my current accent is western U.S american. if anyyone has suggestions i would greatly appreciate them thanks! :twisted

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I am in a theatre production that requires me to use a cockney accent. any suggesting on how to use one? my current accent is western U.S. american. if anyyone has suggestions i would greatly appreciate them. thanks! :twisted:[/nq]
Err, not sure what you mean by 'use one'. In the end, you make your best stab at what you think a particular accent sounds like. I presume the production is either AmDram or fairly provincial if it's professional, and that you're in the US.
An AMDram group I belonged to put on 'Harvey' a year or two back, and 'High Society' a short time later. That required all of the cast to adopt US accents. I suspect a purist would have been left wondering how come Americans from the Bronx, Chicago, the mid west, the west coast, deep south and New England all happened to find themselves looking for an invisible rabbit or talking about boats! The point I'm making is that our audiences didn't really know how good or bad, consistent or inconsistent the accents were, merely that they were 'US' accents.
On this side of the pond, I guess we have the advantage - if such it can be called - that a significant part of our TV output is of US origin, so we have plenty of examples of US accents to try and copy. Presumably you don't have the same level of exposure to UK accents. Your best bet would be to watch one or two videos - try the original of 'The Italian Job' with Michael Caine, not the Hollywood remake! If you can find it, 'The Mouse that Roared' would also be worth watching, not only because of the accents, but also to give you an insight into the psyché of the Londoner. If they're available as videos in the US, any of the old Ealing comedies would be worth watching.

the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Usenet · Answer

At 09:03:51 on Tue, 4 Jan 2005, Wanderer (Email Removed) wrote in :
[nq:1]Your best bet would be to watch one or two videos - try the original of 'The Italian Job' with ... the Londoner. If they're available as videos in the US, any of the old Ealing comedies would be worth watching.[/nq]
And if you have access to a tape of Mary Poppins, listen to **** Van and then don't do anything whatsoever that he does. How a professional actor could make such a dreadful mess of a Cockney accent I'll never know.

Molly Mockford
I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be! (My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I am in a theatre production that requires me to ... anyyone has suggestions i would greatly appreciate them. thanks! :twisted:[/nq]
[nq:1]If they're available as videos in the US, any of the old Ealing comedies would be worth watching.[/nq]
To learn cockney?
Bye, FB

"Suppose I say I'm not interested."
"Does five hundred dollars interest you?"
"Very much."
"Then bring it: it's an expensive restaurant".
(The Cheap Detective)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]If they're available as videos in the US, any of the old Ealing comedies would be worth watching.[/nq]
[nq:1]To learn cockney?[/nq]
Oh the dangers of taking just a little bit of a message out of context.

You may wish to consider the following aphorism.
'Have I understood what the other guy is saying?'
'Have I said what I mean? Have I meant what I said?'

the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Your best bet would be to watch one or two ... any of the old Ealing comedies would be worth watching.[/nq]
[nq:1]And if you have access to a tape of Mary Poppins, listen to **** Van and then don't do anything whatsoever that he does. How a professional actor could make such a dreadful mess of a Cockney accent I'll never know.[/nq]
Funnily enough, MP was the first and most obvious example that came to my mind as a video that might be readily available in the US. And which was just as quickly rejected.
Unfortunately, there may be a very significant number of Americans who think that DVD was giving a perfect rendition of a cockney accent.......

the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2] To learn cockney?[/nq]
[nq:1]Oh the dangers of taking just a little bit of a message out of context.[/nq]
So, you recommended them to learn English accents in general. I see.

"Something to take to the country." (holding out a bunch of flowers) "Flowers come from the country, Charles."
(Cold Comfort Farm, the film)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Oh the dangers of taking just a little bit of a message out of context.[/nq]
[nq:1]So, you recommended them to learn English accents in general. I see. [/nq]
Err, the inference was that if he's in the US, his audience would be highly unlikely to know what a true cockney accent sounds like. Same as yer average UK audience would be unclear about a New England, or Chicago or West Coast{1) accent sounds like
Realistically, if it's AmDram or a provincial professional production, he only needs an approximation. If it's a major Broadway production, he's unlikely to be asking here because he'd be using a voice coach..

(1) Insert accent of choice.

the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Speaking with a cockney accent

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions