Things New Parents Should Know #27 - Reading

[dalekboy]

I read a lot to Lex. And because of who I am, I usually try to give most of the characters distinct voices. And for my own amusement, I pretty much always try to make one of those character voices... a bit extreme.

Little Golden Books, Fairy Tales, just about everything benefits from one character who has a voice that bit off kilter.

The Cat in the Hat is much more enjoyable to read, and a hell of a lot more disturbing, if you read all the Cat's lines as a cross between Richard O'Brien's portrayal of Riff Raff from Rocky Horror Picture Show and Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal.

Try it for yourself!

"But I like to be here.
Oh, I like it a lot!"
Said the Cat in the Hat
To the fish in the pot.
"I will NOT go away.
I do NOT wish to go!
And so." said the Cat in the Hat,
"So
      so
           so...
I will show you
Another good game that I know!"

The key word here is dangerous. The Cat in the Hat is dead inside and only ever seconds away from extreme violence.


Green Eggs and Ham I think works well if played a bit like Terry Jones and Eric Idle in the Nudge nudge sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, as the guy who doesn't like Green Eggs and Ham, and the person offering the meal.

For Oh The Places You'll Go!, I tend to read it fairly normally until things go bad, then I try for a deep, dark, mellifluous, Christopher Lee style delivery.

I think Horton from Horton Hears a Who probably works best if you play him as a slightly strung-out schizophrenic coming down from a high. But I haven't tried that style of read-through yet.

Comments

[rachelholkner.livejournal.com]

I can't wait until Lex begins reading them back to you in those voices.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Ooohhh... that'll be good!

[kaelajael.livejournal.com]

It's when he starts reading to his teacher in those voices that it'll get really interesting ;P

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Well, he's already got his demonic voice down pat. The only problem is that he never does it when we have the video camera going!

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

Oh yes please! There are kids in my English classes that I are good at reading aloud, but I have to bite my tounge when they read stories aloud because they read it in a monotone and put no expression in it.

[paulhaines.livejournal.com]

Isla *hates* me putting on voices, even when I think I'm doing a good job of imitation.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Different strokes. I don't think Lex cares one way or the other at this point. I do it to entertain myself :)

Look on the bright side, when you want to annoy her, you know what to do!

[jblum.livejournal.com]

Terry Jones? Nah, try John Cleese!

(BTW, have you ever heard Moxy Fruvous' jazz-rap version of "Green Eggs And Ham"?)

...and I'll never hear the Cat in the Hat the same way again.

[satyapriya.livejournal.com]

Try 'Where The Wild Things Are', giving Max a very camp voice.

[wolflullaby.livejournal.com]

Can you come over and read me stories please? They sound awesome (and possibly terrifying).

Or perhaps you should record audio versions of these books for distribution. It could have hilarious and popular results. :D :D