Improving the World... One Interaction At A Time.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
Almost five months ago I set out on a monumental task to convert a few acting notes that got handed down to me from my work's PR department into a series of cultural informative posts designed to arm you the performer with some additional back ground knowledge about different countries and cultures from around the globe. The intent was of course to give you a conversational edge when or if you ever get the privilege of meeting anyone from these countries. The work is not by any means complete. I don't think really any body of work on cultural notes could be. Things are always changing, and moving forward in new directions, but these threads have represented what I feel to be a good foundation or primer into other cultures and should give you some nice little notes you can use to better your improv when you meet people from these different places.
I can't take full credit for this information. I did reproduce it with permission from its original author Norm Kelsy. With things like the Wire making self publication easier, I have every intention to eventually compile these posts into a single PDF book, throw in some pictures relevant to the respected countries, images of their flags, and make specific note of well known magicians from that area where applicable. I can't promise this PDF will be available anytime soon as it's not a high priority, but it is on a to-do list somewhere.
In case this is your first time joining me for one of these Improv the World posts, you can probably just search the forum with the following "Improv" and the country name. To date there are over thirty entries. So far we've visited:
+Argentina
+Australia
+Austria
+Belgium
+Bermuda
+Brazil
+Canada
+Chile
+China
+Czech Republic
+Denmark
+England
+Finland
+France
+Germany
+Honduras
+Ireland
+Italy
+Japan
+Kenya
+Lebanon
+The Netherlands
+Northern Ireland
+Norway
+Portugal
+Singapore
+South Africa
+Taiwan
+Thailand
+Ukraine
+Wales
It's been an absolute pleasure being able to research some of this information, and of course sharing it with you all here. I hope you've been able to find it educational, and I hope you can make use of the knowledge at some point to really help create that magic moment when your performing for different people from around the world! So I guess it is without any further delay, I bring you our last country: Wales
Improve the World: Wales
Country: Wales
Continental Location: United Kingdom, Europe
What They Call Themselves: Welsh
Primary Language: English
Secondary Language: Welsh
Prominent Cities: Cardiff [capital], Monmouth, Swansea
Well Known Historical Sites: Tintern Abbey, Rockfield Studio
Currency: The British Pound
Starter Phrases in Welsh:
Welcome: Croeso (CROY-soh)
Thank you: Diolch (DEE-yuckh)
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Catherine Zeta-Jones (Actress); Tom Jones (singer); Anthony Hopkins (Oscar winning actor); Duffy (Grammy winning singer), Dylan Thomas (poet, deceased); Richard Burton (actor, deceased).
-The Welsh language is spoken by the locals and is reflected in signage in both English and Welsh. They refer to their country as Cymru (pronounced “KEM-reh”) in Welsh.
-Their national symbol is the red Welsh Dragon. In their effort to include all the “countries” in the UK, some British one pound coins feature the Welsh Dragon.
-The British royal household refers to the heir apparent to the throne as the “Prince of Wales.” Prince Charles is the current Prince of Wales. Diana was Princess of Wales.
-Wales is home to over 100 standing castles and is referred to as the “castle capital of the world.”
-Tintern Abbey, near Monmouth, is a historic site containing the spectacular skeletal ruins of a 12th century church. In ruins since the 16th century, it has been a tourist attraction for the last three centuries.
-Wales is about the size of Massachusetts.
-Shakespeare made Henry V famous in theatre. The real Henry V was from Wales.
-The 60’s cult TV show, “The Prisoner” with Patrick McGoohan, filmed at Portmeirion, Wales.
-Queen recorded “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the famous Rockfield recording studio in Monmouth.
-Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is a popular seasonal story. It’s a poetic memoir of Thomas’s youth.
What To Avoid:
References to Wales as being part of “England” or being “British” or “English”. They are part of the United Kingdom; however they have fierce regional loyalties and their own football teams.
Avoid saying “fanny” as in fanny pack, and “bloody.” These are not polite terms in the UK.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
Almost five months ago I set out on a monumental task to convert a few acting notes that got handed down to me from my work's PR department into a series of cultural informative posts designed to arm you the performer with some additional back ground knowledge about different countries and cultures from around the globe. The intent was of course to give you a conversational edge when or if you ever get the privilege of meeting anyone from these countries. The work is not by any means complete. I don't think really any body of work on cultural notes could be. Things are always changing, and moving forward in new directions, but these threads have represented what I feel to be a good foundation or primer into other cultures and should give you some nice little notes you can use to better your improv when you meet people from these different places.
I can't take full credit for this information. I did reproduce it with permission from its original author Norm Kelsy. With things like the Wire making self publication easier, I have every intention to eventually compile these posts into a single PDF book, throw in some pictures relevant to the respected countries, images of their flags, and make specific note of well known magicians from that area where applicable. I can't promise this PDF will be available anytime soon as it's not a high priority, but it is on a to-do list somewhere.
In case this is your first time joining me for one of these Improv the World posts, you can probably just search the forum with the following "Improv" and the country name. To date there are over thirty entries. So far we've visited:
+Argentina
+Australia
+Austria
+Belgium
+Bermuda
+Brazil
+Canada
+Chile
+China
+Czech Republic
+Denmark
+England
+Finland
+France
+Germany
+Honduras
+Ireland
+Italy
+Japan
+Kenya
+Lebanon
+The Netherlands
+Northern Ireland
+Norway
+Portugal
+Singapore
+South Africa
+Taiwan
+Thailand
+Ukraine
+Wales
It's been an absolute pleasure being able to research some of this information, and of course sharing it with you all here. I hope you've been able to find it educational, and I hope you can make use of the knowledge at some point to really help create that magic moment when your performing for different people from around the world! So I guess it is without any further delay, I bring you our last country: Wales
Improve the World: Wales
Country: Wales
Continental Location: United Kingdom, Europe
What They Call Themselves: Welsh
Primary Language: English
Secondary Language: Welsh
Prominent Cities: Cardiff [capital], Monmouth, Swansea
Well Known Historical Sites: Tintern Abbey, Rockfield Studio
Currency: The British Pound
Starter Phrases in Welsh:
Welcome: Croeso (CROY-soh)
Thank you: Diolch (DEE-yuckh)
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Catherine Zeta-Jones (Actress); Tom Jones (singer); Anthony Hopkins (Oscar winning actor); Duffy (Grammy winning singer), Dylan Thomas (poet, deceased); Richard Burton (actor, deceased).
-The Welsh language is spoken by the locals and is reflected in signage in both English and Welsh. They refer to their country as Cymru (pronounced “KEM-reh”) in Welsh.
-Their national symbol is the red Welsh Dragon. In their effort to include all the “countries” in the UK, some British one pound coins feature the Welsh Dragon.
-The British royal household refers to the heir apparent to the throne as the “Prince of Wales.” Prince Charles is the current Prince of Wales. Diana was Princess of Wales.
-Wales is home to over 100 standing castles and is referred to as the “castle capital of the world.”
-Tintern Abbey, near Monmouth, is a historic site containing the spectacular skeletal ruins of a 12th century church. In ruins since the 16th century, it has been a tourist attraction for the last three centuries.
-Wales is about the size of Massachusetts.
-Shakespeare made Henry V famous in theatre. The real Henry V was from Wales.
-The 60’s cult TV show, “The Prisoner” with Patrick McGoohan, filmed at Portmeirion, Wales.
-Queen recorded “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the famous Rockfield recording studio in Monmouth.
-Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is a popular seasonal story. It’s a poetic memoir of Thomas’s youth.
What To Avoid:
References to Wales as being part of “England” or being “British” or “English”. They are part of the United Kingdom; however they have fierce regional loyalties and their own football teams.
Avoid saying “fanny” as in fanny pack, and “bloody.” These are not polite terms in the UK.
