Complaining

This week I have been in the recording studio voicing a selection of interviews, news items and discussions to be used for educational purposes in Norwegian schools. Each type of recording required a different mode of voice ..a neutral newscaster voice for the news items, an informal chatty voice for the discussions, and character-voices for the interviews -in one of which I played an eager professor of natural history rattling on about carnivorous plants! However, in addition to these segments, I recorded a whole batch of different "complaints" in the style of people phoning in to a radio station and leaving a message. This was not only the most fun to do, but also strangely therapeutic! I mean -how often does one get the chance to complain loudly about day-to-day trivialities (most of which I agreed with) and get paid handsomely for it? Following the text, but using pure method acting, I voiced my rage on having to get up early,  on cyclists hogging the road, on telephone bills and false advertising and a whole variety of other topics. When I finally emerged from the recording booth I felt cleansed and elated. There is clearly nothing like a good, heartfelt, loud complaint to get the energy flowing -I shall now be using this as a great warm-up exercise!