Best And Worst Fake Accents

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 7:40pm

Which performers have you seen or heard who do a fantastic job of convincing audiences that they're not really American? (Or British, or whatever nationality they are, I guess.) And which ones... aren't so skilled in that area?

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:09pm

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 08:09 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:16pm

Matthew Broderick's British accent in last season's THE PHILANTHROPIST immediately came to mind. Awful, awful, awful.
Updated On: 8/16/09 at 08:16 PM

[romgitsean]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:18pm

Patti LuPone in Sweeney Todd. Enough said.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:19pm

Carolee Carmello's Southern accent in Parade was pretty cringe-worthy, I think.

[philly03]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:20pm

I like Christine Andreas in The Scarlet Pimpernel alot.

Not fond of Marc Kudisch's from what I remember (probably why he was the only Chauvelin to have a fake accent!).

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:25pm

It bothers me SO MUCH that Chauvelin and Armand don't have French accents.

Douglas Sills does a pretty good English accent, I think.

Oh, and Matthew Morrison had a fantastic Italian accent in LitP. Even my Italian friend was impressed.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:29pm

I think Andrea Burns does a great job with her accent for Daniela in "In The Heights".

[Hugh Panaro<3]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:31pm

Alan Cumming in just about anything does a perfect accent. Most people don't even know he is Scottish.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:32pm

Patti LuPone in Sweeney Todd. Enough said.

it was much better in Doyle's production than the concert version. her Old Lady accent for Candide was laughably terrible, though.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:32pm

Anytime there's a West End cast recording of a show set in the south. Most notably Parade and Whistle Down the Wind. Yikes.

[musicalmack]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:38pm

Any accent Meryl Streep does is amazing. I can't believe how much she sounds like Julia Child in her new movie!

[philly03]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:39pm

"It bothers me SO MUCH that Chauvelin and Armand don't have French accents.

Douglas Sills does a pretty good English accent, I think. "

Me too - I don't understand why JUST Marguerite has one?? But Kudisch's just .. wasn't really good. I don't remember if the Armand in SP 3.0 had one.

I was going to say Doug Sills too, but on the recording it partially sounds like he doesn't use one; like sometimes he uses it and sometimes he doesn't.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:42pm

Not fond of Marc Kudisch's from what I remember (probably why he was the only Chauvelin to have a fake accent!).

Did you never see William Michals?

It bothers me SO MUCH that Chauvelin and Armand don't have French accents.

When I saw the tour, Billy Sharpe did.

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 08:42 PM

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:47pm

Hank Azaria, obviously, is a genius at accents.

Listening to the Jane Eyre OBC, I think we can safely ascertain that Stephen Buntrock has no idea what a British person sounds like... and Marla Schaffel is sometimes good but always sounds fake. James Barbour sounds good, though he's doing a kind of accent that real people don't really have anymore, so I can't really judge how accurate it is!

Glllzrrrrgh, Marc Kudisch's French accent... I never did like that. Doug Sills' Percy really was great, though. I still feel weirded out whenever I hear him talking in an American accent.

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 08:47 PM

[binau]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:49pm

I hear criticism of Bernadette's accent in Song and Dance..can anyone be more specific? I mean, is it stereotypical/exaggerated, or going in/out different dialects or what? (or was rather, since the performance has passed hehe).

[Even as an Australian, It doesn't particularly bother me]

[philly03]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:50pm

"Not fond of Marc Kudisch's from what I remember (probably why he was the only Chauvelin to have a fake accent!).

Did you never see William Michals? "

Yeah, but I can't remember an accent or not. It must have not been that bad - and he probably didn't use it to sing! I like Michals btw!


Schmerg: I agree! Schaffel's is good to an extent but I feel like you can absolutely tell that it is a fake accent.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:53pm

I really liked Michals (saw him on tour and at Sacramento Music Circus), but his accent can best be described as "I have an accent."

[morosco]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:55pm

Chita's attempt at an accent in NINE was awful.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:55pm

LizzieCurry: Ahahaaa, well-put.

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 08:55 PM

[PastorErnst]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 8:58pm

As talented as Gregory Jbara is, the accent he uses in Billy Elliot bothers me... SO MUCH!

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 9:04pm

Definitely have to second the nomination of Matthew Broderick in THE PHILANTHROPIST - I still can't figure out what he was doing vocally, but since the whole venture was a disaster, I guess it didn't make any difference.

[saveusmike]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 9:06pm

Laura Osnes in South Pacific.
Its not that her accent was bad it was just I felt like she kept forgeting to use it. Some times I felt she would switch from Country to Regular, Then realize that and switch back.

Either was shes a phenomonal singer and Im actually glad she didnt get HAIR so I got to see her in South Pacific.

[broadwayman17]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 9:37pm

Gavin Creel's British accent in Mary Poppins and (briefly in) Hair sounds pretty impressive, (though I've only heard his Poppins accent from clips)

Updated On: 8/17/09 at 09:37 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 9:55pm

Hugh Laurie is the master.