Where can I learn a cockney accent?

Question

I'm cast for the roll of Ida in SEE HOW THEY RUN. I basically know how a cockney accent goes, but I really want to work on mine so I can be convincing, and also help my friend who is cast as the same part. If anyone knows any websites or anything that may help with developing my accent, it would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

I was just turned on to this website! It has audio clips of various accents all over the world including many different dialects in the UK http://web.ku.edu/idea/

I hope that gives you what you need :-)

Of course, My Fair Lady still has Cockney accents abound... Eliza in the begining and her father and his companions in latter scenes.

good luck!

Answer 2

Learn Cockney

Answer 3

You can get the "Acting with an Accent" Book and CD- Cockney by Alan Stern. Professional actors usually order them from Samuel French or Amazon.com but I believe most large local libraries have them.

Also, when I was working on an Irish accent, I found that listing to internet radio from that area was a big help. Maybe you can tune into to a London call-in talk station so you can listen to real cockneys might help, but last time I was in London the real Cockneys I talked to are almost unintelligible to most Amrican audiences ( and quite a few British ones).

Remember, the key to acting with ANY accent is that you often have to sacrifice authenticity for clarity.

And, as others have pointed out, listening to My Fair Lady might help, but I'm also thinking about Michael Caine movies such as Alfie and the Man Who Would Be King. Caine actually was from near the Cockney area of London.

Break a leg. If you develop a knack for accents, it can expand your career exponentially.

Answer 4

try doing a lot of tongue twisters in the accent. I once had the roll of a Spaniard with a lisp so it was doubly challenging for me; every day i said a dozen tongue twisters in the accent. Also, while you're doing your warm up, put a pencil in the back of your mouth and say your lines with the accent, then take it out and say them again. You will be able to feel a major difference.

Try doing some method acting as well. Go out of the theatre in your accent and talk to people you've never met. If they seem convinced you have an accent, you will convince the audience.

Do improv games in character. This will solidify the accent in your muscle memory.

Hope that helps. Break a leg

Answer 5

You need to have been born within the sound of the Bow bells to be a cockney or have the accent. Failing that, just look at some English movies, like My Fair Lady, and fake it, who will know? I doubt there'll be any cockneys in the audience.

Answer 6

For a quick one , rent or download the musical, MY Fair Lady.

Answer 7

The simple answer is to find a voice coach, me auld cock sparra.