A Few Things to Remember

Dear Actors,

Thank you for your hard work last Monday. We now have to keep up the effort so as to have a great production in June!

A few things to remember:

1) You should try to learn your lines by next Monday. Concentrate on the scenes you have with a partner (i.e. in Act One: Jack and Algernon, Jack and Gwendolen, Jack and Lady Bracknell etc.) and try to get together to practice the lines together. That always helps.

2) You must be absolutely sure what your lines mean! If you do not understand your lines completely, the audience won’t, either! Check the meaning in the old Reclam text (footnotes). And if you still don’t know, talk to Mr Perino next week and he will tell you. When you have understood your lines, emphasize the important words. Oscar Wilde uses a lot of contrasts in his play. Always emphasize these parts of the sentence:

‘When one is in town, one amuses oneself. When one is in the country, one amuses other people.’

‘Well, my name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country.’

‘… in married life threeis company andtwo is none.’

‘The good ended happily and the bad unhappily.’

‘He has nothing, but he looks everything.’

Also: emphasize words that are repeated very often:

‘Dear me, you are smart.’ ‘I am always smart.’

‘Ernest. My own Ernest.’

3) Some of you are having problems with the long and difficult words (usually from French or Latin). I’ve noted them down here to help you. Please underline in your text where the stress is put on these words. For more information on phonetics look at a good dictionary (Longmans, Oxford, Cambridge, Macmillan). There are also websites where you can HEAR the words! (remember to press BRITISH ENGLISH!) Please also look through the following lists as someone in your scene may have the same word(s) as Oscar Wilde often repeats them. I have only written the word once, when it first appears.

Best wishes, M. Rutman, 24.3.2011

Pronunciation help (pages refer to pages in acting text)

Act One

Algernon

1accurately

forte (say it like ‘forty’)

establishment

2interested (sounds like ‘intristid’)

responsibility

4consent

7Bunburyist (say: BUN-bry-ist)

incomparable

‘separate’ (say it like seprit)

8invaluable (say it like: invalyoubl) permanent invalid (say: invilid)

extraordinary (say it like ‘extraordinry’)

9tedious (‘teadyus)

10distressed

11conscious (say: conshis)

promise (say: pro-miss)

20profligate (say: ‘profligit)

hereditary

21interested (say: ‘intristid’)

23anxious (say: ANG-shus)

Lane

1‘pint’(say it with ‘EI’ in the middle)

23satisfaction

Jack

3extravagance

7appreciate

admirable

conduce

12temporary (say: ‘tempry’) absence

17Bloxham (say: BLOXUM)

considerably advanced

18charitable and kindly disposition

19unbearable

20apoplexy

21capital appetite

excessively

22Hertfordshire (say: ‘HEART-FUD-SHER) (‘heart’ rhymes with ‘cart’, ‘start’)

carriage (say: CA-RIDGE)

23sensible intellectual (say: intel-LECK-tshul)

Gwendolen

10developments, develop

comfortable (‘comftbl)’

12demonstrative

irresistible fascination

indifferent (say: indiffrent)

13absolute confidence

destined

metaphysical speculation

reference (say: refrince)

14notorious domesticity

entrancing

solitude

admirable

determined

22eternal devotion

fibres (say: FEIBUZ)

irresistible fascination

simplicity

exquisitely incomprehensible

address

necessary (say: ness-iss-ry) … desperate (say: des-prit)

requireserious consideration

communicate

Lady Bracknell

10obliged (say: obLEIgd)

entirely (say it like ‘tyre’)

11Farquhar (say: Far-car)

accustomed

relapse

12expurgations

thoroughly respectable language (say: ‘thorily respectbl langwidge’!)

accompany

15semi-recumbent posture

indecorous

inquiries

16eligible

affectionate (say: affeckshinit)

requires

idle (say: ‘EIDL’)

satisfactory

attached

reside (say: rizeid)

17Bloxham (say: BLOXUM)

guarantee of respectability of character

unfashionable

evidently

wealth (rhymes with ‘health’, well-th)

18locality

immaterial

bewildered (say: bi-will-derd)

contempt

ordinary (say: ‘or-din-ry) decencies

excesses

conceal a social indiscretion

purpose

assuredbasis for a recognized position in good society

19acquire

definite effort (say: EFFUT)

alliance

Act Two

Miss Prism

1utilitarian occupation

Moulton (say: ‘MOL-tun)

intellectual (say: intel-LECK-tshul)

anxious (say: ANG-shus)

particular (say: par-tick-yalar)

gravity of demeanour

commended

comparatively

responsibility

triviality

anxiety (say: ANG-ZEI-ITY)

2irretrievably weak and vacillating

sows (rhymes with ‘goes’, ‘nose’)

abandoned

3headache (‘ache’ rhymes with ‘cake’!)

Laetitia (say: LAY-TISH-ER)

headache (‘ache’ rhymes with ‘cake’!)

4Economy

sensational

metallic

melodramatic

7misanthrope (say MIZZ-un-throp)

8persistently

permanent

sympathies

horticulturally

metaphor (say: met-a-for)

extravagance

11peculiarly (say: PER-CU-LERLY)

Cecily

2influence

chronicles

3instinctively

headache (‘ache’ rhymes with ‘cake’!)

4wicked (say: WICK-ID – 2 syllables!)

5deceiving (say: di-see-ving)

inexcusable

hypocrisy (say: hip-pock-rasy)

11toothache (say: TOO-THAKE, ‘ache’ rhymes with ‘cake’)

12invalid … Bunbury (say: BUN-BRY)

13reconciliation

15merely (say: mere like ‘here’)

consequently

17ignorance of my existence

determined

conceited (say: con-see-ted)

18absolute confidence

19most learned (say: learn-id, two syllables)

impetuous (say: im-pet-yus)

20philanthropic

comparatively (say: com-par-ativ-ly)

21arduous (say: ard-yus)

23mental or physical anguish (say: an-gwish)

24agricultural depression

aristocracy

epidemic

25machinations

trespassing

valuable (say: val-yebl)

doubt (say: daut)

character (say: car-ik-te)

neighbourhood (say: nay-ber-hud)

27deception (say: di-sep-shun)

practised (say: prack-tist)

28cowardly (say: KAU-ED-LY)

Dr Chasuble

3inattentive

metaphorically (say: meta-FOR-ickly)

metaphor (say: met-a-for)

7neologistic

precept

matrimony

8betoken some terrible calamity

9condolence

consolation

generous

peculiarly (say: pe-kyu-lerly) susceptible (say: su-sep-tibl) to draughts (say: drafts)

interment

allusion

tragic domestic affliction

wilderness (say: WILL-DER-NESS)

christenings (say: CHRIS-NINGS)

10canonical

apprehensions

advisable

ceremony … ceremonies

occurred (say: O-KURD)

admirably

11bowed (say: BAU-d)

12reconciliation

Merriman

4anxious (say: ANG-shus)

Algernon

5wicked (say: WICK-ID – 2 syllables!)

disappointment

obliged (say: obLEIgd)

5anxious (say: ANG-shus)

6neckties (say: neck-teiz)

encouraging

14interfered (say: inter-feared)

mourning (say: ‘morning’)

15visible personification of absolute perfection

16incomparable (say: in-com-prebel)

18particularly (say: par-tick-yalarly)

19object

aristocratic

bankruptcy (say: Ban-crup-see)

ceremonials

christening (say: CHRIS-NING)

26heavens (say: hev-nz)

27deny (say: di-nei)

29wicked (say: WICK-ID – 2 syllables!)

deceiving (say: di-see-ving)

agitated

30particularly (say: par-tick-yalarly)

vegetarians

christened (say: CHRISS-ND)

usedn’t (say: you-snt)

Jack

9buried (say: BERR-ID)

christenings (say: CHRIS-NINGS)

10christen (say: CHRISS-EN)

12Bunbury (say: BUN-BRY)

13scoundrel (say: scaun-dril)

14mourning (say: ‘morning’)

27deny (say: di-nei)

29inexcusable

30christened (say: CHRISS-END)

hereditary

Gwendolen

22secretive (say: see-crit-iv)

alluring (say: al-lyur-ing)

candour

deception

susceptible

anxious (say: ANG-shus)

23verify the incident

prior (say: PREI –ER) claim (rhymes with ‘same’)

promise (say: pro-miss)

presumptuous (say: pri-zum-tyus)

24vicinity

25deceitful (say: di-seat-fl) … deceived (say: di-seevd)

invariably

27embracing

wounded (say: woon-did)

admirable

28venture (say: ven-tscher)

Act Three

Cecily

1repentance

2invaluable (say: in-vall-yer-bl)

credulity (cre-dyou-lity)

3certainly (say: sir-tn-li)

insuperable (say: in-sou-prabl)

ordeal

physical courage (say: fis-ikl karr-idge)

9instinctively (say: in-stink-tiv-li)

punctual (say: punk-tschul)

punctuality (say: punk-tschu-al-iti)

13agitated (say: a-dgi-tay-td)

Gwendolen

1cough (rhymes with ‘off’)

effrontery

preserve a dignified silence

particular (say: par-tick-you-la)

2sincerity (say: sin-serr-ity)

doubts (say: ‘dauts’)

scepticism (say: skep-ti-sism)

principles

surrender

pleasant (say: pleznt)

3insuperable (say: in-sou-prabl)

equality

self-sacrifice (say: sack-ri-feis)

concerned (say: kn-sönd)

infinitely (say: in-fin-it-ly)

4merely (say: mere-li, ‘mere’ rhymes with ‘here’)

13suspense

Christian (say: kriss-tschen)

Jack

2doubt: (say ‘daut’)

3christened (say: CHRISS-ND)

6Guides (say: gei-dz)

solicitors (say: sö-liss-it-erz)

vaccination (say: ‘vak-si-nay-shn’)

measles (say: ‘mee-zls)

8consent

decline (say: di-klein)

suspect

temporary (say: tem-pri) absence

pretence

‘pint’(say it with ‘EI’ in the middle)

disgraceful deception (say: di-sep-tschun)

alienating (say: ay-lien-ating) (‘ay’ as in ‘day’)

devoured (say: ‘di-vau-ed)

distinctly (say: di-stinkt-li)

9decision is unalterable

decline (say: di-klein) to give my consent

legally (say: lee-gel-li)

10entirely

alliance (say: al-li-ance)

passionate celibacy

11esteemed

valued (say: val-yud) companion (say: com-pan-yun)

12deposit

13examine

depends

restored

deny (say: di-nei)

14repentance

law (rhymes with ‘door’)

inquisitive (say: in-kwi-sitiv)

scoundrel (say: scaun-dril)

respect

behaved (say: be-hayvd)

15Heavens (say: hev-nz)

irrevocable (say: ir-rev-ekbl)

christened (say: Chris-snd))

recollect (say: reck-e-lect)

period (say: peer-i-ed)

16delightful records (say: reck-uds)

constant

Moncrieff (say: mon-creef)

Lieutenant (say: leff-ten-ent) !!!!!! v. special pronunciation!!!!!

Colonel (say: kö-nell) !!!!!! very special pronunciation!!!!!

General (say: dgen-rel)

17contrary

realized

vital (say: vei-tal) importance

Algernon

3christened (say: CHRISS-ND)

7twopence (say: tuppence)

15practice

Lady Bracknell

4apprised (say: ap-prize-d)

purchased (say: per-chst)

lecture (say: leck-tscher)

permanent income

undeceive (say: un-de-seeve)

cease (say: ‘seese’)

invalid (say: invilid)

resides (say: ri-zeidz)

revolutionary (say: revo-lusch-n-ry) outrage

5interested (say: in-tris-tid)

social (say: ‘so-shl’) legislation

punished for his morbidity

physicians (say: fisishnz)

definite

peculiarly (say: PER-CU-LERLY)

unnecessary (say: un-ness-ess-ry)

Hertfordshire (say: ‘HEART-FUD-SHER) (‘heart’ rhymes with ‘cart’, ‘start’)

considerably (say: con-sid-ra-bly)

average (say: av-ridge)

statistics

guidance (say: gei-dns)

preliminary (say: pre-lim-in-ry) enquiry (say: in-kwei-ry)

origin

Gervase (say: ‘jer-vaze’)

6authenticity

occasionally (say: er-kay-jenerli)

premature (say: prem-mer-tchor)

7profile

principle (say: prin-sipl)

debts (say: detts)

mercenary (say: mer-sen-ry)

consent

advisable

8ostentatiously (say: os-ten-tay-shs-li)

eligible (say: ell-i-jibl)

desire (say: ‘di-zeir’, it rhymes with ‘fire’)

Oxonian (say: oks-oh-ni-en)

9entirely

accurate

calculating

importance

accumulation of property

10positively

decision

propose

destiny

comment

premature

grotesque and irreligious

baptized

excesses

11detain

vital (say: ‘vei-tl’) importance

repellent

12Grosvenor (say: Gro-vi-na)

perambulator

elaborate investigations of the Metripolitan Police

manuscript (say: man-you-script)

revolting sentimentality

13suspect

coincidences

occur

convincing

conclusion

14altogether

consequently

doubted (say: dau-tid)

15luxury (say: lux-sheri)

christening (say: kriss-ning)

lavished

eccentric

climate

indigestion (say: in-di-dges-tschun)

16essentially (say: i-ssen-shuli)

domestic

military (say: mill-i-tri) directory (say: dei-reck-tri)

particular (say: per-tick-you-lar)

displaying … triviality (say: tri-vi-all-it-i)

Dr Chasuble

10christenings (say: CHRIS-NINGS)

immediate baptism

11grieved (‘grieve’ rhymes with ‘leave’)

secular (say: seck-you-lar)

pew (say: ‘pju’)

cultivated

respectability

celibate (say: sell-i-bt)

nigh (say: ‘nei’)

13emotional nature

16Laetitia (say: lay-tisch-er)

Miss Prism

11vestry

12perambulator

capacious

manuscript (say: man-you-script)

mental abstraction

deposited

bassinette

13injury

upsetting of a Gower (say: gau-er) Street omnibus

temperance beverage (say: temp-rens bev-ridge)

14incident that occurred (say: oh-curd) at Leamington (say: lem-ing-ten)

initials (say: in-isch-lz)

extravagant

undoubtedly (say: un-dau-tedli) (the ‘b’ is silent!!!)

delighted

unexpectedly restored

inconvenience (say: in-con-veen-i-ens)

error (say: er-ra)