ABOUT
THE MAKING OF RKV
My VOICE
I suppose one of the most important things to highlight is the quality and tone of my voice.
Quality, tone & regionality are a product of how and where we have lived. Well, I was born in Blackpool, flown to Doha at 5 weeks old but spent most of my young life in Abu Dhabi, UAE until I was 10. My Mum was from Lancashire & I suppose I copied her Lancashire twang until I found myself at a very well to do boarding school from age 10 where only received pronunciation would suffice. I suppose I had to become a bit of a vocal chameleon to survive.
My parents came back to the UK just in time for me to start 6th form and I spent a very blissful couple of years in Chester with them. My ear started to pick up a Liverpool lilt, well that and my increasing fondness for Willy Russell plays. A degree course at Warwick University and a year’s intensive acting training at DSL followed as I continued my travels to the UAE and Thailand always with an open heart, and ear, awakened to the possibilities that this world affords us. I’m hoping that this website will be an online storefront connecting me to clients not just up and down the country but around the world.
The best way to describe my voice would be RP with a hint of EVERYWHERE! I have to say though, if you know what you are looking for and have a bit of a Henry Higgins ear, I am and always will be Northern. You can take the girl out of Blackpool, but you can’t take Blackpool out of the girl!
Well woman. My natural playing age is about 35 – 45. As covered, my natural voice is a gentle RP with a very slight Northern quality.
QUALIFICATIONS
I have a degree in Theatre and Performance Studies from Warwick University. I appeared in 6 productions during my time at university. My proudest moments were a production of “Not I,” by Samuel Beckett where, if you know the play, my mouth & voice were my only tool. I also played the part of Lucky Eric in an all-female production of, “Bouncers,” by John Godber. I also got to play my dream role of The Mother in Federico Garcia Lorca’s, “Blood Wedding.”
I have a one year acting diploma from Drama Studio London. This culminated in a production of, “The Crucible,” where I played Tituba. I used my voice to transform into the role. I was also chosen by my radio and voice acting coach to be a part of a team entering the Carleton Hobbs Bursary award.
I collaborated and taught at a summer drama school in conjunction with The Redgrave Theatre in Farnham.
I appeared as the character Barbara in a production of Billy Liar at The Little Theatre in Chester.
I did some work backstage at a touring production of, “Alice in Wonderland,” with the junior group at Theatre Clwyd.
I appeared as the title character in “The Mai,” by Marina Carr at The Loft Theatre in Leamington Spa.
I did some postproduction voice acting for Trial and Retribution, mostly for crowd scenes but some individual synching in parts.
With an agency in Birmingham, I’ve done some modelling for a printer company, a football promotion, and a small advert for a tyre company.
Currently I’ve contacted a local theatre company and have just taken part in an energizing workshop in conjunction with students at the performing arts college.
I feel that all of this stands me in good stead as I focus my talents and experience as a voice actor.
LANGUAGES & SKILLS
Sadly, despite my travels, I’m not fluent in a second language. I do love to have a go wherever I am in the world and my conversational Spanish is getting quite good. I even had Arabic lessons as a child.
I am willing to bend and twist vocally to whatever the client wants. I have the stamina and vocal range for audiobooks and love the challenge of creating the different characters within the story. I love storytelling and narration.
I think my voice also lends itself very well to continuity announcer on TV. I love the challenge of writing my own content for this. I’ve also fallen completely in love with radio and the world of reporting, podcasts, jingles and that all important afternoon radio drama.
My radio drama lessons with Gilly Bond at DSL are such treasured memories. Creating a world and painting a picture with sound is so special and rewarding. Listen to the demos of my voice attached here.
Keep an eye on my website as I keep things fresh and add new content.