Speakeasy Vocal Academy impacts top theatre production

Last edited: July 05, 2010

Posted by Business and Arts South Africa

Johannesburg-based Speakeasy Vocal Academy had a chance to showcase its considerable voice training talents in the production of top theatre production ‘The Boys in the Photograph’. The production which runs for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is another excellent example of the South African cultural offerings during the Soccer Tournament.

The Business and Arts South Africa member was called on to assist in the production of the Andrew Lloyd-Webber/Ben Elton musical that has been playing to packed audiences at the Nelson Mandela Auditorium in the Joburg Theatre Complex in Braamfontein.

“My task was to coax Northern Irish accents out of the cast of 35 South African actors,” Speakeasy’s Fiona Ramsay reports.

Even for an experienced actor and vocal coach like Ramsay, the challenges were significant.

“The Belfast dialect is well-known as one of the hardest to achieve because it has so many influences. If you listen very carefully you will hear some Canadian, Scottish, Southern Irish and Northern English sounds all mixed together to create the unique accent.”

The other challenge came from the homegrown accents of the actors.

“Our society is multi-lingual and the actors themselves had varied SA accents to begin with! My aim was to create a landscape of sounds that were homogenous, and it was imperative that the characters sound as if they all inhabit the same world and live in one city,” says Ramsay. In addition to working on the actor’s accents, continuity between the spoken dialogue and the sung lyrics was also part of Ramsay’s brief.

Confirmation of Speakeasy Voice Academy’s efforts came when co-author of ‘Boys In the Photograph’, Ben Elton joined the creative team for the final week of rehearsal. As Ramsay reports, “He remarked that our accents ‘were the best he had ever heard!’ and added with a wry smile, ‘at last the piece is believably’!”

Speakeasy Voice Academy is proving that in spite of its small size, it can play a significant role in major theatre productions. To contact Speakeasy go to www.speakeasy.co.za.

THE BOYS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH runs in The Mandela at Joburg Theatre until July 11th. Tickets are on sale at Computicket: visit www.computicket.com or call 083 915 8000.