Talk Like A Pirate! The Linguistics of "Treasure Island"

Linguistics of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Classic

Part of Hardiman’s acting book, Dynamic Acting Theory stipulates that the characters of a play speak in such a way that give actors clues about intent, how they move, respond to changes and interact. This Hardiman calls Action Range. These things, in turn, work together to help create a realistic character, complete with cultural history and dialect. With most plays, the playwright has already taken care of these textual clues. Some authors choose to write the sounds of their characters words using punctuation and alternate spellings like Arthur Miller (The Crucible) and even authors such as J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and J. R. R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings). Hardiman had noticed how there were distinct voices in Treasure Island, indicated by vowels, consonants, word choice, word combination, punctuation and length of line as well as phonetic spelling.

Four particular dialects and action ranges became clear through the adaptation process, two more vague sounds, and two very specific sounds. The first was the Townspeople Sound: a coastal English sound the wound and curved and looped, found early on at the Inn, a sound Jim and his family would have. Then there was the Pirate Sound: a gravelly, dry-throat, sun-burnt sound that would vary from pirate to pirate, but stay largely within the action ranges of coiling, winding and heaving. The next two sounds are easily placed within social system and geography: Received Pronunciation (RP (The upperclass British sound made famous in Dr. Dolittle) and Scottish. Both the Squire and Doctor are RP, while the captain is decidedly Scottish in action range and vowels.

August Roy, former LLCC Theatre student and now UIS Liberal Studies major, has been working on developing an easier system for actors to learn dialects, so Hardiman brought her onto the project to help share the research the sounds. Together Hardiman and Roy worked for several months, before and after auditions, to identify a dialect for each of the sounds. Between them, they finally settled on two recordings that would be most beneficial for the actors learning the Townspeople Sound, through Paul Meier’s IDEA website: (http://www.dialectsarchive.com/england-32 is an example)  RP was a bit easier, and is easier to get to for most actors from the Midwest. They share many similarities. Scottish is one of the harder dialects to get to for the actor, as they soon found out. The more work, punching sound supported lower and belted more forcefully, fight the natural Midwestern and general American action ranges.

In all the dialects were designed to both fit the characters who speak them, as suggested by the language structure and the phonetic spellings that were used by Stevens and to create a sound pallet that enabled us to paint a picture of a very different world and time.

Adapting a Classic... Again!

Greetings, readers! We are back again this summer with one of the biggest shows yet! To celebrate technical rehearsals and opening we are posting some behind the scenes blogs to give you an idea of the work and collaboration that went into this production.

Adapting

Mark Hardiman has been planning this adaptation of Treasure Island for well over a year. Previously, he adapted A Christmas Carol, which also appeared on TIP's stage (the indoor one- it was too cold!). To begin he started reading script after script, looking for one that would be appropriate for the cast, the venue (TIP’s wonderful outdoor stage) and our audience. Each script, however, seemed to be lacking some of the vital elements of Robert Louis Stevenson’s original story. Part of why Hardiman wanted to do Treasure Island so much is for the mystery, danger, adventure and inspiration in the coming-of-age classic. But where one script kept the danger, it left out the mystery of the adventure. Where the mystery is kept, the humanity and innocence of Jim is lost. Where Jim keeps his innocent nature, the script would leave out the precise moment when he becomes a man, leaving out all the subtlety of decision making and the tiny moments of courage that make Jim so brave.

After reading half a dozen scripts, Hardiman decided that to keep the essence of the story and to remain truthful to the original author, while maintaining flow within safe stage combat standards, he would have to adapt it.

Beginning around September, Hardiman began to layout his plan for creating the script. Building did not commence, however, until the winter break, as the second production of Your Swash Is Unbuckled was due to perform at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Weeks of writing and editing ensued, with some very important collaboration.

Tomorrow’s post is a linguistic look at the classic tale! Don’t miss it!

Treasure Island

            Ahoy, Avast Ye! Treasure Island Rehearsals have begun! The talented cast is finally starting to get out of the table work stage of rehearsals and we are up on our feet and working on movement. Over the past two weeks we have been working on acting, movement, and dialect which is allowing for these pirates and landlubbers come to life. Treasure Island is a family friendly production filled with treasure, a one-legged pirate, a parrot, tropical islands, pirate ships and much more! It will be performed at New Salem’s Theatre in the Park on May 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 beginning at 8pm. Clear your schedules soon before the pirates make you walk the plank!

   LLCCNEWS

Lincoln Land Community College ·  Office of Public Relations and Marketing

5250 Shepherd Road · P O Box 19256 · Springfield, IL 62794-9256 · 217.786.2218 ·  800.727.4161, ext. 6.2218

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           Jan. 5, 2016

Contact: Lynn Whalen, lynn.whalen@llcc.edu; 786.2219

Auditions Jan. 16, 19, 20 for LLCC Theatre/Theatre in the Park collaborative production of “Treasure Island”

  

SPRINGFIELD – Auditions for the upcoming LLCC Theatre/Theatre in the Park collaborative production of “Treasure Island” will be held Jan. 16, 19 and 20.

On Saturday, Jan. 16, auditions will be held from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 2100 South Bates Ave.*

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 19 and 20, auditions will be held from 7-9:30 p.m. in the lower level of Sangamon Hall South on the LLCC campus, 5250 Shepherd Road.

The production will employ cross-gender casting for many roles. The cast includes adults and youngsters able to play 13- to 15-year-olds, and all roles are open. College students and community members are encouraged to audition. Auditions will include reading from the script and movement exercises, so actors should wear comfortable clothing. Those interested in backstage, stage management, or assistant to the director duties should drop by auditions the 19th and 20th for a brief conference with the director.

The production “Treasure Island” is adapted and directed by Mark Hardiman, LLCC professor of theatre, and will be staged May 20, 21, 22, 26, 27 and 28 in Kelso Hollow at Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site.

LLCC Theatre is committed to education in theatre, emphasizing not only performance but also growth in those involved in the production. Those participating may choose to register for college credit or participate through LLCC’s Community Education program.

Questions may be directed to mark.hardiman@llcc.edu or by calling 217.786.4942.

*(On Jan. 16, auditions for other Theatre in the Park shows will be held at the same time; seewww.threatreinthepark.net for details.)

 

 LLCC theatre has an improv troupe. ie. improv. It's current show Laid Back improv reflects the current aesthetic of its members. This year's ensemble specialize in low-key performances. No shouting or overblown acting, but subtle ideas explored in an intimate way.

Audiences will feel not so much like they are in a SHOW! but more like they are in an congenial and slightly snarky conversation in a living room. Every ensemble puts its own stamp on the particular flavor of long-form improv it does. These improvisations eschew game forms and rehearsed forms but explore ideas that come out of audience suggestions. The ensemble then builds using principles of improv a show based upon their and the audience's combined experience and ideas.

Tickets are now on sale for Your Swash is Unbuckled!

Hoogland Center for the Arts

Visit our Facebook for more information.

   LLCCNEWS

Lincoln Land Community College ·  Office of Public Relations and Marketing

5250 Shepherd Road · P O Box 19256 · Springfield, IL 62794-9256 · 217.786.2218 ·  800.727.4161, ext. 6.2218

For Immediate Release                                                          Sept. 29, 2015 

Contact: Lynn Whalen, lynn.whalen@llcc.edu, 786.2219

LLCC Theatre presents “Your Swash is Unbuckled” at the Hoogland Center for the Arts Nov. 11-13

SPRINGFIELD – Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) Theatre will present “Your Swash is Unbuckled” by Jeff Goode, a collection of short, humorous plays featuring swashbuckling, sword-swinging action, on Nov. 11, 12 and 13. Curtain time is 8 p.m. in the Hoogland Center for the Arts Theatre III.

Three of the plays are world-premieres, authored by Goode just for LLCC Theatre under the direction of Mark Hardiman, LLCC professor of theatre.

Tickets are on sale at $18 ($16 for seniors and $10 for students with ID) at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 South 6th St., by calling 217.523.2787 or online at http://www.hcfta.org. The production is suggested for mature audiences.

LLCC Theatre, which last appeared at the Hoogland with the sell-out production of “The Shadows of Edgar Allan Poe,” embarks on the “Swash” plays for the second time. “We did some of the plays last summer at LLCC and audiences so loved them, we wanted to reach out to a broader audience this year and explore new pieces,” says Hardiman.

This version of “Swash” offers nine comic stage combat plays, each about 10 minutes long. The works span the gamut from Robin Hood and Little John to the newest pieces written for LLCC Theatre, including swashbuckling steam pirates battling it out with cutlasses and buckets on zeppelins. The full evening of these short comedies are a quirky look at relationships, couples and comic conflict phrased in witty dialogue.

“Mr. Goode’s plays offer actors a playground to explore great physical comedy and goofy swashbuckling while offering snappy dialogue that exposes how our relationships and our expectations about them drive us to crazy extremes,” says Hardiman.

“Swash” author Jeff Goode is a producer, director, screenwriter and author of over 50 plays. He is known as creator of the “American Dragon: Jake Long” TV series produced by Walt Disney television animation. “It is a great honor to work with Jeff on these new plays,” says Hardiman. “His take on culture and society is insightful and full of mirth.”

LLCC’s theatre program offers 32 courses encompassing acting, directing, stage management, costuming and stage combat. Those wishing to enroll in classes may visit www.llcc.edu.