COMPLETE [PLAY] Oroonoko by Thomas Southerne-maryann

[Kitty]

Here is Oroonoko. Thank you for offering this play!

Todd, you did a great job on this central character All the time he displays a very regal demeanour, in whatever situation he be, whether, despair, love, resolve or anger.

Actually the soliloquy where he professes his hatred towards the governore in Act 5 is one of my favourites here in this play. Awfully well recited, the wrath is really palpable and when you switch to a calmer mood again, it's quite elegantly done.

Also the crucial final dialogue with Imoinda work very well with Sandra's lines from what I remember. This will be a great scene.

I also noticed you pressed your voice a bit deeper than your normal range, I can imagine this must have been a strain, especially because you had so much to read.

I did find some differences with the original text though, which I needed to not down. But before you correct any of these, let's see what Tomas says about them, because many of them are actually in his google doc sheets, so I'm not sure whether he copied them wrong or whether my original is faulty. I let him decide that.

Act 1
> at 3:03: hard fate and whips and chains may overpower - you say "hard fare", which actually fits the context better

> at 3:54: I would be Caesar then - you say "there", might not be much of a difference, though

Act 2
> at 5:40: inclined her heart - you say "my"

Act 3
> at 6:44: I'll undertake all though would'st have me now for liberty- you say "he'll"

> at 9:55: but who can answer for his bravery upon the rack - you say "promise" which is the same in a way, I guess

Act 4:
> at 5:28: shall I forbid his birth - you say "death", which is a bit more morbid

Act 5
> at 3:56: to represent this spectacle of horror - you say "honour"

> at 4:50: preserve him from the barbarous rage that worry'd him - you say "wronged"

> at 16:44: and let not civil broils - you forgot "not"

As I said, let's wait for Tomas to clear up some of these questions. In my opinion some really need to be corrected, but others are trivial or even wrong in the original.

Sonia

[Kitty]

Here is the correction for Act 4 Aboan
https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_aboan_4.mp3

thanks Larry !!! Now it's PL ok

Sonia

[WiltedScribe]

Alright, here's my take on these notes:

Act 1
> at 3:03: hard fate and whips and chains may overpower - you say "hard fare", which actually fits the context better

> at 3:54: I would be Caesar then - you say "there", might not be much of a difference, though

According to my other source, "fare" and "there" appear, so Todd is correct in these instances. This act can then be marked PL OK.

Act 2
> at 5:40: inclined her heart - you say "my"

Yes, Sonia is correct; it's "her heart." This needs to be corrected.

Act 3
> at 6:44: I'll undertake all though would'st have me now for liberty- you say "he'll"

> at 9:55: but who can answer for his bravery upon the rack - you say "promise" which is the same in a way, I guess

Both "he'll" and "promise" appear in my other source. But while "promise" is fine, I think maybe "I'll undertake" is a much better fit than "He'll undertake." So maybe the first note needs correction, but the second can be left alone.

Act 4
> at 5:28: shall I forbid his birth - you say "death", which is a bit more morbid

Yes, it's "birth," not "death." Definitely not the kind of change in meaning that makes sense.

Act 5
> at 3:56: to represent this spectacle of horror - you say "honour"

> at 4:50: preserve him from the barbarous rage that worry'd him - you say "wronged"

> at 16:44: and let not civil broils - you forgot "not"

The only note here that needs fixing is the first: though my source says "honour," I prefer "horror" (because what's honourable about seeing your best friend all bloody and beaten?). "Wronged" and "let civil broils" (without the 'not') appear in my other source, and I think they make sense as Todd says them.

So, to recap, these are the notes that do require fixing:

Act 2
> at 5:40: inclined her heart - you say "my"

Act 3
> at 6:44: I'll undertake all though would'st have me now for liberty- you say "he'll"

Act 4
> at 5:28: shall I forbid his birth - you say "death", which is a bit more morbid

Act 5
> at 3:56: to represent this spectacle of horror - you say "honour"

So, basically a small word in four acts, which is actually fantastic considering how big the role is!

[ToddHW]

So, to recap, these are the notes that do require fixing:

Act 2
> at 5:40: inclined her heart - you say "my"

Act 3
> at 6:44: I'll undertake all though would'st have me now for liberty- you say "he'll"

Act 4
> at 5:28: shall I forbid his birth - you say "death", which is a bit more morbid

Act 5
> at 3:56: to represent this spectacle of horror - you say "honour"

So, basically a small word in four acts, which is actually fantastic considering how big the role is!

Fixes uploaded.

Thanks, Todd

[WiltedScribe]

Thanks, Todd!

Act 1 is almost ready for final PL... we just need the lines for Charlotte. Hope Beth can get them in before long.

[larryhayes7]

Ok here is Oboan's final Act 5, looking forward to your comments on my dying last lines


https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_aboan_5.mp3

[Kitty]

Fixes uploaded.

Thank you Todd, all fixes perfect and Act 2-5 now PL ok

Sonia

[Kitty]

Ok here is Oboan's final Act 5, looking forward to your comments on my dying last lines
https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_aboan_5.mp3

yay Larry, Aboan is finished (ok that sounded a bit gruesome now, sorry).

No errors at all. Well in the beginning, since he already enters bloody, I thought you sounded a bit too chipper still. But by and by one feels your life's energy is draining and the final stabbing scene is very well acted out. I always love when actors die dramatically on stage (am I ghoulish ? )

In any case, PL ok. Thanks a lot for taking part here ! And I hope I hear you soon in another play.

Sonia

[jasonb]

Here are some more acts for Stanmore:

https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_stanmore_2.mp3
https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_stanmore_3.mp3
https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_stanmore_4.mp3

Act 5 looks to be the biggest part. I am thinking that he might change a little now that he is meeting his woman, instead of talking to his friend all this time. I will tackle it tomorrow.

[Kitty]

Here are some more acts for Stanmore

well done Jason no errors at all, these are all PL ok. And already you managed to make him a bit less "pompous assish" as before LOL He is subtly changing his ways, so you prepared the ground well for the final act.

Almost there !

Sonia

[Elizabby]

Here's the first act of Charlotte - I wanted to get one done and PLed before I attempted the rest. There were a couple of lines which I wasn't sure should be in the "man" voice or not, so I've done them twice - just cut the one you don't need. I also put in a "kiss" sound for when she kisses the widow, just in case!

https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_charlottewelldon_1.mp3 (9:29)

This second version is the same file, only I've put a voice effect over the male lines. It's a standard processing effect I use sometimes - I have saved both versions, obviously, so let me know which you like and I'll do the rest of the files the same way. (The second version may be slightly louder, as I also amplified it a touch more.)

https://librivox.org/uploads/maryannspiegel/oroonoko_charlottewelldon_1_downpitched.mp3 (9:29)

[Kitty]

Here's the first act of Charlotte - I wanted to get one done and PLed before I attempted the rest. There were a couple of lines which I wasn't sure should be in the "man" voice or not, so I've done them twice - just cut the one you don't need. I also put in a "kiss" sound for when she kisses the widow, just in case!

yay Charlotte is in !!!

Well done Beth, no error or missing lines found. I can mark this one PL ok.

Nicely done on the more male voice. Basically you could use your Bear voice from the Household tales I actually love Charlotte in her male persona better than in her female

I think you can safely continue in this endeavour it's absolutely well acted out.

This second version is the same file, only I've put a voice effect over the male lines. It's a standard processing effect I use sometimes

well I let Tomas decide which version he prefers as I am not the proper judge for this, because I personally am not a fan of pitch-change (and Tomas knows that LOL). I feel we can do so much with our natural ability to change voices that we don't need artificial enhancements. For example here, you did so well naturally, I hear when you are the male version and when the female, that I would not see the point of changing it in Audacity. For me, the first version is you speaking in a darker pitch, whereas the second version is a different person speaking altogether which gives a bit of an uncanny feeling. But as I said, that's personal taste, so I'll hand the decision over to Tomas.

Thanks and looking forward to your next files

Sonia

[WiltedScribe]

Thank you, Beth! That means Act 1 will soon be ready for final PL!

I also agree with Sonia that your first file is best in this case. If you were playing a male character, the pitch-altered file would work, but for a woman masquerading as a man, doing it with your own voice---without any artificial help---is much more fun to listen to. So that is the one I will use.

Since Sonia has approved things, you can continue submitting your files!

[Elizabby]

Excellent! Good to know - with a bit of luck I should get another Act done today!

[WiltedScribe]

I'm pleased to announce that Act 1 is ready for PL!

This is my first time editing an entire play, so I hope everything is OK!