I'm going to be in a play but I need to do a british/english accent. Do you know something that can help?

Question

like a website

Answer 1

JohnB has some great advice here.
I work at Renaissance Festivals and part of developing the character is identifying where they're from and studying the accent of that area. You don't want your Queen Elizabeth sounding like some Cockney Trollop. Imagine seeing a play in England with an American Character. And the voice of the NYC thug sound like he's from Texas or Alabama. EEK! (Or when Sean Connery plays a Russian with a Scottish accent, or Kevin Costner plays Robin Hood with a Chicago Accent.)

Watching British TV can help a lot. On DVD is even better. You can practice the words with the dialog and keep repeating phrases you think are helpful. Just be sure you're picking the RIGHT accent. Black Adder, Monty Python, Waiting for God, My Hero, Keeping up Appearances, Are You Being Served ...

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Being a Brit, I must admit, that Americans do the worst British accents.
First you have to realize that Britain has thousands of accents. We can tell where a person is from, just by listening to them talk for a short while.
So you need to narrow it down, is it an Oxford Cambridge, Queens English, or a Scot or Irish, of Welsh, from the North or South. Now you can see what Americans do a lousy job, it's not that easy. Well at least to a Brits ear.
As you are doing the play here, you can usually fool the local audience. Watch BBC America, that will help out, find out where your character is from, in Britain, or what the do.
You don't need to learn all the slang, that's not possible, but the inflections of the words. Tape some shows, and play them over and over, once you pick the accent you need or like. Then just practice it every day. OK, you may drive your family crazy, but that a small price to pay.
Go to it, and have fun with it, it isn't life or death is it.

Answer 3

not sure on a web site. but watch movies with people like Julie Andrews and Hugh Dancy in them to get used to the accent. also listen to music by British people, bring an ipod or walkman with you on the day of the performance too. accents are fun, you'll be great, no worries. break a leg!

Answer 4

As suggested above, know what type of british accent to learn first. Watching Monty Python won't help you if you're supposed to sound more like Julie Andrews!

Answer 5

BBC is the easiest, cheapest way, as the others have said. I have something to recommend. First, listen to the programmes and repeat everything they are saying. Imitate the intonation and inflections as best as possible. This technique is called "shadowing" and is used by conference interpreters.

Click on the source link below to go to an excellent place for a start.

Good luck, Piscesgirl!

Answer 6

Rent some movies with British actors. Speak along with them.

One thing that actors new to the accent do is overdo it. Don't make it really broad; just a hint of it will be enough.

Answer 7

This is something I'd like to know as well. However, I am aware that in Brit English, the "t" following "n" doesn't tend to dissappear unline American English. e.g. Apprentice - In American English, the "t" following "n" can be left silenced and it will not sound foreign, but in Biritsh English that would not be the cae

Consonant "t" inside words such as "butter", and "water", the "t" doesn't become "d" sound in Brit English.

Answer 8

Watch Monty Python or movies with .... esp. Julie Andrews, Hayley Mills, Deborah Kerr or Olivia Newton-John. Study and mimic.

Answer 9

Yes watch BBC and all the Brit shows you can on PBS, where there are a lot of them. But you primarily need a diction coach, if there is one available with your company.

Answer 10

watch anything British or with British actors in it, if you can look into getting a voice coach