"Urinetown"

The show I decided to see this semester was "Urinetown" performed by the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse. I got to see the preview of the show on Sunday, and it was a great time, I highly recommend seeing it! The actor I would like to focus on for this review is the actor who played the police officer. Firstly, the tempo at which he spoke varied immensely. He was able to adapt the tempo to serve different comedic moments. Also, during the number in which all the cops are singing about the town, the tempo and rhythm in which he sang was very fast and "rap-like," which goes along with what was happening at that moment. Although he had to quicken the tempo and vary the rhythm throughout the show, he stayed true to his natural voice and adapted accordingly. He had very crisp articulation and pronunciation. Although his voice is very deep and manly, he did not let that get in the way of the words he was speaking. Everything was crisp and clear, the way it should be. He spoke in a very deep pitch, which really fit the masculinity of his character. It was funny to see how his voice and Sally's voice, which was high pitched and squeeky, varied. They were a very funny narrator couple for this reason. The police officer also spoke in a very loud volume. He did so to distinguish himself from the other characters because of how he was narrating the whole show. The moments in which he talked to the audience were very funny, and he did not lose any of his volume, but increased it, to make sure all could hear what he was saying. Overall, the quality of his voice was deep, rich, and manly. Out of everyone in the show, I was drawn to his voice because of these qualities.

Read and Respond #4: Voice

Read and Respond: Breath

The Gold Watch - Pulp Fiction (1994)

"Two Little Mice" Speech by Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken performs Lady Gaga's Poker Face

Voice Analysis: Christopher Walken

VOICE ANALYSIS:

CHRISTOPHER WALKEN

“Somebody said to me that I speak English almost like somebody for whom English is not their first language.” -Christopher Walken

INTRODUCTION

Christopher Walken has been impersonated, revered, and mocked throughout the years for his unique style of speaking. It is undeniable, Walken has a very memorable air about him. Much of the reason for this timeless appeal lies simply in the tempo and rhythm at which he speaks. Through his mastery of articulation, pronunciation and volume, he evokes feeling from each and every viewer. There has not been a character of which Walken has not mastered. He possesses an unforgettable voice, one in which, as a young actor, I wish to learn from.

COMPONENTS OF THE “VOICE RECIPE”

Whenever Walken’s name is mentioned, the way he uses his voice is often a topic of discussion, and imitation. Firstly, what must be addressed is the tempo at which he speaks. Walken speaks very slowly, as if he greatly contemplates everything that comes out of his mouth. The particular pace at which he speaks has not changed throughout the years, although he has been imitated and critiqued by many people including Kevin Spacey, Robin Williams, The Cast of “Who’s Line is it Anyways” and countless others. The tempo at which Walken speaks very much defines him as an actor.

Another thing that defines Walken’s voice is the use of pauses. Walken has a very interesting way of phrasing his sentences to foster interest from the audience. Demonstrated in a line from “Mousehunt” (1997), Walken’s use of dramatic pauses, indicated by eclipses, works to his advantage in conveying suspense and meaning. “You have to think...like a mouse. If you can do that...if you can think like a mouse...you can anticipate their moves. Then...boom!” By taking a pause before using an onomatopoeia such as the word “boom,” he creates a sense of mystery, and anticipation. He leaves the audience wanting more, and then delivers a strong punch line to satisfy the curiosity of the viewer.

The next important component of Walken’s voice is the way in which he invites the audience to listen closer to each and every word. He does this through his characteristic slur, connecting phrases. As demonstrated in the critically acclaimed film “Catch Me If You Can” (2002), Walken’s character Frank Abagnale Sr. accepts an award, and subsequently gives a speech. Within this speech, he tells the story of two mice: “Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.” Throughout the retelling of this story, the habitual slur of each word, especially the connection between the words “two little mice,” prompts the audience to listen closely, as if they were trying to distinguish each word from the next. Doing so, Walken ultimately portrays the nerves Frank Abagnale Sr. is feeling at that moment in time.

One cannot talk about Christopher Walken without mentioning his distinct accent, as it is widely impersonated due to it’s memorable sound as it reaches the viewer’s ear. He is distinctly characterized by the accent of his hometown, Queens, New York. Despite this, Walken is easily able to transform his voice, as in the film “Hairspray” (2007), when he portrayed Wilbur Turnblad. Set in Baltimore, Maryland, Walken had to master the particular accent that went along with that location. He was able to do so, while maintaining the many great qualities of his voice including: tempo, rhythm, articulation, etc.

Another important aspect of Christopher Walken’s ability to use his voice effectively is the way in which he utilizes a range of volumes throughout his work. An example of this shows when he portrayed the character Gabriel in “The Prophecy” (1995). Utilizing a hushed tone, he masterfully delivered this line: “You know how you get that dent in your top lip, way back, before you were born? I’ll tell you a secret, then I put my finger there, and I say ‘shhh.’” This line is meant to send shivers down the spine of each and every audience member, and Walken’s eerie delivery of the line does just that. He has the innate ability to make the viewer really listen to each word he says. The more one cares about what is being said, the more invested one is in the speaker of the words. Through his use of a variety of volumes, Walken has a talent for making the audience feel for every character he plays.

 

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

There are many valuable lessons to be learned from Christopher Walken’s ability to utilize qualities of his natural voice. He is able to skillfully emphasize the meaning of each line through five different ingredients in the “Vocal Recipe.” As a young performer, the qualities of which I can adopt from Walken’s example are; his ability to convey interest through use of varied tempos, his natural knack for emphasizing importance through maintaining an unpredictable rhythm, his talent for generating interest through unclear articulation, his capacity for adapting to different accents, and his aptitude for acquiring sympathy through varied use of volume.

CONCLUSION

All in all, Walken’s ability to utilize and transform his voice, is only challenged by his innate talent. His voice is so distinct, that when reading a passage in which he has spoken, one can almost hear Walken speaking the text. In this way, he has become a memorable performer, and personality in this day and age.

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “I am you. And, you are me. And, we are here.”
• “Communion”(1989) Whitley Strieber
• “You know how you get that dent in your top lip, way back, before you were born? I’ll tell you a secret, then I put my finger there, and I say ‘shhh.’”
• “The Prophecy” (1995) Gabriel
• “You have to think...like a mouse. If you can do that, if you can think like a mouse, you can anticipate their moves. Then...boom!”
• “Mousehunt” (1997) Ceasar the Exterminator
• “That’s right I did kill him, he fucked up one too many times so I put a bullet in his eye. Then, I put two more in him just to make sure. Now, that was somebody I loved, I loved him. But, I got the call, I put him down like a sick animal.”
• “Nick of Time” (1995) Mr. Smith
• “I’m scared, Sam. What’s happening to me?”
• “The Dead Zone” (1983) Johnny Smith
• “I haven’t killed anybody...since 1984.”
• “True Romance” (1993) Don Vincenzo Coccotti
• “Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.”
• “Catch Me If You Can” (2002) Frank Abagnale
• “From here on, nothing goes down unless I’m involved. No black jack, no dope deals, nothing. A nickel bag is sold in the park, I want in.”
• “King of New York” (1990) Frank White
• “I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you.”
• “Pulp Fiction” (1994) Captain Koons