The use of dialect is commonly found in theatrical productions to immerse the viewer into the atmosphere of the narrative. In the spring production of Treasure Island, Bearden Theatre plans on using a variety of English accents to draw the audience into the show.
The production opens on April 19 at 7 p.m. with follow-up shows on April 20 at 7 p.m. and April 21 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available at beardentheatre.com.
The setting of Treasure Island begins in England, where various characters of English origin are introduced. By having each actor project with a dialect accurate to the region, the audience is subconsciously aware of the setting, social status, and background of each character.
Director Ms. Katie Alley uses this to transport audience members into the world of Treasure Island.
“Accents give clues to the audience about the character’s history and personality without explicit dialogue,” Ms. Alley said.
That being the case, Bearden theatre students have been tasked with learning a range of British accents in preparation for playing their roles. There are many different strategies the actors use to adapt to the non-native dialects, such as listening to movies or television shows from that region.
“To prepare for each accent, the most important thing you can do is listen to it, without realizing you subtly learn how to pronounce different words and sounds,” said sophomore Caroline Alley, who will play Jim Hawkins in the show.
Ms. Katie Alley has even suggested the actors participate in “dialect days,” which are full days of speaking as their characters would.
Returning cast member Annabella Brady has improved upon her articulation by listening to online videos of native speakers.
“YouTube was a prime source to understand the vowel construction of the accent I use in Treasure Island,” she said.
Characters will have to implement their accent training to enhance the show’s authenticity. For some characters, Brady’s portrayal of Grandma Hawkins, the accent goes beyond the standard British dialect. Brady has to be conscientious of projecting in an older tone, while simultaneously speaking as an English woman.
“It has been a challenge balancing speaking as an older character while also using the accent,” she said.
The clarity of the production can be jeopardized if the actors speak in an accent that does not accurately reflect their upbringing. Caroline Alley realizes the importance of realistically portraying the original Treasure Island characters to establish the show’s credibility.
“If your accent isn’t perfectly believable, that instantly makes the show less believable as well,” she said.
Additionally, with a plethora of characters speaking in accents ranging from standard British dialect to Cockney accents, and even pirate-like inflections, the show will feature characters from many diverse backgrounds. This could lead to confusion if not executed adequately; however, the students’ preparation has removed any of that concern.
“The actors are already doing very well with learning the accents,” Ms. Alley said.
Added Brady: “The help from Ms. Alley and the dialect coaches have improved my speech tremendously.”