Comments for Words, Words, Words http://pcshakespeare.com/blog A Production Blog from the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company Sat, 26 May 2012 14:08:14 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Playing Sir Hugh Evans by recommencer http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2011/02/06/playing-sir-hugh-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-11736 recommencer Sat, 26 May 2012 14:08:14 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=91#comment-11736 George: While I highly doubt you're going to get anyone to come in with an expertise in Elizabethan Welsh, I totally appreciate your concern. The major problem is that it is virtually impossible to find recordings or even dialect guides for what the Welsh person speaking Early Modern English, sounded like. The best thing I found is to pull from all sources. You can study the modern Welsh accent (tapes, cds, youtube videos) and that can give you some helpful clues and perhaps a good basis, but the rest of the work is relying on Shakespeare's cues and your own creativity as an actor. At Pigeon Creek we always attempt to work with the purest text possible. We often pull from the MIT Shakespeare Online collection because it's closest to the 1st Folio as possible, as that's the best source we have. In that, you can see where Shakespeare wanted Evans to speak oddly, switching in "t"s for "d"s and so forth. You can also clearly see when he is supposed to be speaking in a way that people are mocking him in their own replies. My advice: pull from all sources you can, but know that when it comes down to it, what Shakespeare most likely wants (and what the play calls for) is a comical character that earnestly sounds purely RIDICULOUS on stage. That is the prime purpose of Evans in that play. Think the Swedish Chef in The Muppets, and you've nailed it on the head! George: While I highly doubt you’re going to get anyone to come in with an expertise in Elizabethan Welsh, I totally appreciate your concern. The major problem is that it is virtually impossible to find recordings or even dialect guides for what the Welsh person speaking Early Modern English, sounded like.

The best thing I found is to pull from all sources. You can study the modern Welsh accent (tapes, cds, youtube videos) and that can give you some helpful clues and perhaps a good basis, but the rest of the work is relying on Shakespeare’s cues and your own creativity as an actor.

At Pigeon Creek we always attempt to work with the purest text possible. We often pull from the MIT Shakespeare Online collection because it’s closest to the 1st Folio as possible, as that’s the best source we have. In that, you can see where Shakespeare wanted Evans to speak oddly, switching in “t”s for “d”s and so forth. You can also clearly see when he is supposed to be speaking in a way that people are mocking him in their own replies.

My advice: pull from all sources you can, but know that when it comes down to it, what Shakespeare most likely wants (and what the play calls for) is a comical character that earnestly sounds purely RIDICULOUS on stage. That is the prime purpose of Evans in that play. Think the Swedish Chef in The Muppets, and you’ve nailed it on the head!

]]> Comment on Playing Sir Hugh Evans by George F. http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2011/02/06/playing-sir-hugh-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-11580 George F. Thu, 24 May 2012 18:43:26 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=91#comment-11580 This blog is doubtless moribund by now, but it is my turn to play Sir Hugh and any input on the accent is welcome. The production is merely a community theater FREE production of "Merry Wives," but I take this kind of stuff seriously as an actor. You never know when an Elizabethan Welshman is going to wander under the tent and guffaw at Sir Hugh for all the wrong reasons. The play and text are difficult enough for modern playgoers without THAT to worry about, but I live for these kinds of challenges. So, any input would be appreciated. This blog is doubtless moribund by now, but it is my turn to play Sir Hugh and any input on the accent is welcome. The production is merely a community theater FREE production of “Merry Wives,” but I take this kind of stuff seriously as an actor. You never know when an Elizabethan Welshman is going to wander under the tent and guffaw at Sir Hugh for all the wrong reasons.

The play and text are difficult enough for modern playgoers without THAT to worry about, but I live for these kinds of challenges. So, any input would be appreciated.

]]> Comment on Finding the male character in the female actor. by Taleah http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2012/04/30/finding-the-male-character-in-the-female-actor/comment-page-1/#comment-10095 Taleah Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:54:59 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=236#comment-10095 What a great article. Rachel, I got to see R/J on Friday night in Spring Lake and it was fantastic! You had a swagger that was delightful to watch. Well done! Hope we see more of you in the future! What a great article. Rachel, I got to see R/J on Friday night in Spring Lake and it was fantastic! You had a swagger that was delightful to watch. Well done! Hope we see more of you in the future!

]]> Comment on Playing Antonio by Tyler Sarabia http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2010/05/25/playing-antonio/comment-page-1/#comment-7212 Tyler Sarabia Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:41:34 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=53#comment-7212 Interesting,.. Interesting,..

]]> Comment on Playing the Shrew by Alphonse http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2011/12/20/playing-the-shrew/comment-page-1/#comment-6676 Alphonse Sat, 24 Dec 2011 07:00:23 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=200#comment-6676 Fascinating and insightful. It definitely leaves me looking forward to your production. Fascinating and insightful. It definitely leaves me looking forward to your production.

]]> Comment on Playing Hotspur by Justin Walter http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2011/08/19/playing-hotspur/comment-page-1/#comment-5809 Justin Walter Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:51:13 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=177#comment-5809 I'm in a Shakespeare class at Brigham Young University, and I'm currently studying this play. This was easily the most interesting production that I found online, because of the all-female cast and the issues associated with playing male characters(like Hotspur and his over-developed sense of honor). I liked the take on Hotspur here- the conscious choice not to play him "angry". Which character do you consider the central character in this play? I’m in a Shakespeare class at Brigham Young University, and I’m currently studying this play. This was easily the most interesting production that I found online, because of the all-female cast and the issues associated with playing male characters(like Hotspur and his over-developed sense of honor). I liked the take on Hotspur here- the conscious choice not to play him “angry”. Which character do you consider the central character in this play?

]]> Comment on On Cymbeline by Christina http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2011/05/06/on-cymbeline/comment-page-1/#comment-3808 Christina Fri, 06 May 2011 17:03:36 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=140#comment-3808 Dear Scott, I'm so excited to hear that you'll be playing Iachimo. One of my all-time favorite characters. Bob and I have been talking Cymbeline for the last few weeks, ever since I heard about the production. I wish you all broken legs and great success! Dear Scott,

I’m so excited to hear that you’ll be playing Iachimo. One of my all-time favorite characters. Bob and I have been talking Cymbeline for the last few weeks, ever since I heard about the production. I wish you all broken legs and great success!

]]> Comment on Playing the Boy and Alice by Maisa http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2010/07/16/playing-the-boy-and-alice/comment-page-1/#comment-1836 Maisa Tue, 21 Dec 2010 07:31:49 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=80#comment-1836 You have a great blog here! I love the cotnent! You have a great blog here! I love the cotnent!

]]> Comment on Playing the Boy and Alice by John from Pigeon Creek http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2010/07/16/playing-the-boy-and-alice/comment-page-1/#comment-472 John from Pigeon Creek Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:32:27 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=80#comment-472 Well, of course modern French sounded very little like the French back in Shakespeare's time (like the English), so it depends what you are aiming for ;) . . . le roy c´est moy ! Well, of course modern French sounded very little like the French back in Shakespeare’s time (like the English), so it depends what you are aiming for ;) . . . le roy c´est moy !

]]> Comment on Playing the Ghost and the Player King by Bill Iddings http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/2010/03/26/playing-the-ghost-and-the-player-king/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Bill Iddings Sat, 27 Mar 2010 04:10:35 +0000 http://pcshakespeare.com/blog/?p=23#comment-21 Um, you think we might want to tell the readers who wrote this? Um, you think we might want to tell the readers who wrote this?

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