Accents: A Manual for Actors [With CDs (2)]

Now in a fully revised and expanded new edition, Accents: A Manual For Actors by professional actor and dialect coach Robert Bluemfeld is a 425 page compendium of detailed and "student friendly" instruction for actors seeking to learn how to perform their lines in anyone of more than a hundred different dialects. Superbly organized into nine broad categories (The British Island and Commonwealth; North America; Romance Languages; Germanic Languages, Slavic Languages; Miscellaneous European; Middle Eastern; African; and Asian), each individual section provides an intensive breakdown of the accents found within the broader category. Enhanced with two accompanying CD discs, Accents is a complete and highly recommended single volume course which will prove to be an invaluable addition to any personal, professional, community theater, or school theater department's reference collection.

Robert Blumenfeld has made a reference for almost every conceivable accent the modern actor may be called upon to employ. British RP and Irish accents are listed here, as are French and Italian. However, Blumenfeld also includes Lithuanian, Basque, Gullah, and a host of others. This is a bold attempt for a 320 page book. Blumenfeld has moved away from the standard practice of using monologues or pages and pages of sentences written down in a bastardized phonetic structure to teach these accents. Such approaches do have their place, but a work of Blumenfeld's scope would be need to become a series of several volumes in order to employ such methods. There are small number of phonetic representations, usually several sentences per accent. Blumenfeld's focus, however, rests upon correct placement of the vocal apparatus and detailed descriptions of how the accent will change any text into which it comes in contact. This is perhaps the most important feature of the book. It describes a process of understanding and working with your brain and vocal instrument instead of simply memorizing how to say words differently. However, I must stress that this is a practical book, not an academic book on accent theory. Blumenfeld provides this information with an end result in mind. This book will teach you how to employ your desired accent. You can apply its principals to any monologue or scene, even improvise, and it will work. The CD is also very useful. While the it does not have examples of every accent the book covers, it does have a fair amount. All of accent work is done by Blumenfeld himself, and therefore you can see how one person's voice can change dramatically through this process.

I have found "Accents" an indispensable addition to this actor's book shelf. It is careful, complete, scholarly yet a thoroughly enjoyable read. Actors facing tough accents will breath a sigh of relief when they find the enclosed CD. I've been cast as Van Helsing, the dutch professor in "Dracula" at Fauquier Community Theater, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, some 50 miles west of D.C. After absorbing the chapter on dutch accents, reviewing the CD and practicing diligently, I feel I mastered the accent at much the same pace as memorization of the script. That competence has translated to earlier-than-normal layering of character well before opening.I also found the author, Mr. Blumenfeld, very friendly and forthcoming with additional guidance. This is a gem, and I recommend it to friends in theatre. And to those who are convinced they have an accent "down pat," compare yourself to the CD and prepare to be humbled and learn.

Wow, when I went looking for a book to help me learn how to do accents I had no idea I'd find this. It seems to cover just about every American accent you could want. The CD that is included with it is invaluable. Within just a few days I was speaking like an English Gentleman. I have been trying to get that accent down for years. I work in a popular cafe here in Hollywood. We get many customers from London. I can even fool them. They ask me what part I'm from. They are amazed when I turn the accent off. Then, just for kicks, I'll start talking like I'm from Kentucky or the Bronx. This book is great for everyone who wants to add spice to their personalities, not just actors. Did I mention I get more dates when I use the accents I learned from this book?

The range and usefulness of this book is quite astonishing. Not only does the text provide important sounds, stress and pitch and mouth/tongue positions for more than 80 accents of English as spoken all over the globe, but the author illustrates them with great versatility on the accompanying CD. I learned the difference between several Irish accents, heard a Cockney Yiddish and the same phrase spoken in several regions of the American South. It is an invaluable book for the actor or anyone who finds accents intriguing. A vibrant plus is the erudite and highly readable introductory essays to each language group which give a history of the country and its language, and include many examples of recordings and films in which you can hear fine examples of English spoken with that accent. I now understand why my Swedish daughter-in-law and Southern husband speak as they do,and am looking forward to perfecting my Dublin accent. A gift for anyone in theater or film, or anyone who is fascinated by the many ways our language can be spoken.