Experiencing Accents: A Knight-Thompson Speechwork (R) Guide for Acting in Accent

A Knight-Thompson Speechwork® Guide for Acting in Accent provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to accent acquisition for actors, grounded in current linguistic science and two decades of teaching and coaching. It dismantles the notions of good and bad accents and offers a path to mobilize innate language abilities to acquire any accent, relying on descriptive and experiential knowledge. The Four Ps approach builds cultural competence, increases physical and perceptive skills, and provides a variety of applications to encourage fluid and embodied accent performance.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 13 November 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Experiencing Accents: A Knight-Thompson Speechwork® Guide for Acting in Accent is a comprehensive and systematic resource for actors seeking to master accents. Authored by renowned speech coach and actor trainer, Knight-Thompson Speechwork®, this book offers an accessible and effective set of tools, exercises, and theoretical frameworks rooted in current linguistic science. With over two decades of teaching, actor training, and coaching experience, Knight-Thompson Speechwork® has developed a unique approach to accent acquisition that challenges traditional notions of good and bad accents.

By de-centering elitist and authoritarian worldviews, this book empowers actors to harness their innate language abilities to acquire any accent, relying on descriptive and experiential knowledge. The innovative Four Ps framework — People, Prosody, Posture, and Pronunciation — builds cultural competence, enhances physical and perceptive skills, and provides a rich variety of applications to encourage fluid and embodied accent performance.

Each of the Four Ps is investigated and practiced separately, and then synthesized in the art of the performer. This deliberate and sequential layering of skills allows actors to address the complexity of acting in accent through a meticulous and authentic approach.

Experiencing Accents is organized into fifteen modules, corresponding to a typical semester, making it an ideal resource for Theatre students in voice, speech, and accents courses, as well as working actors seeking to improve their accent work.

In conclusion, Experiencing Accents: A Knight-Thompson Speechwork® Guide for Acting in Accent is a groundbreaking resource that empowers actors to unlock their full linguistic potential and deliver nuanced and authentic accent performances. With its comprehensive approach, practical exercises, and theoretical foundations, this book offers a path to linguistic mastery and enhances the artistic depth of actors across all genres and mediums.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 153 x 225 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032324142