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On the set of A Demon in My View
Photo by Deborah Beer
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The cinemagoer or theatre audience might not know why a
particular character didn't "work" – but they wouldn't fail to
notice that something was very unconvincing about the actor's performance.
If the accent is right, it is barely noticeable to the public: many people
assume that it is the actor's own accent, until they later hear an
interview with the actor or see the actor playing another role – in
another, equally convincing accent. |
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Great pains are taken by those responsible for, for example, costume for
horses or furnishing, to make them seem absolutely authentic, whether it
be for 18th century China or 20th century Australia; or New York State in
the present. Not bothering to achieve an authentic accent renders
pointless all other efforts made in establishing the "flavour"
of the area or time.
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On the set of Mansfield Park
Photo by Clive Coote
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Most of us are unaware of the hundreds of small details which are the
result of our lives to date: we are influenced by the place where we grew
up; our parents' accent; peer groups; teachers and professors; colleagues
and friends. Then there are those incidental influences such as when a
South African marries someone from, say, the West Country in England. Each
would speak English and might, slowly, borrow from each other's speech
idiosyncrasies, creating, over time a kind of hybrid accent.
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