Daily Dialogue — May 3, 2015

“T…t…t…tuh…two households, both alike, in dignity. 
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.”

— Shakespeare in Love (1998), written by Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Stammer.

Trivia: Wabash (Henslowe’s tailor, who has gotten a role not because of any acting experience but just because Henslowe owes him money) has a stutter, but his stutter disappears almost entirely when he is acting onstage. This is an actual phenomenon that is well-known to speech therapists and other modern-day pathologists who study and treat stuttering. Many actors who are former stutterers first entered the profession when it was recommended to them as therapy for their speech impediment; famous actors who turned to acting to help their stuttering include James Earl Jones, Emily Blunt, Bruce Willis, and Nicholas Brendon.

Dialogue On Dialogue: One of multiple memorable moments in the movie, such a surprise when Wabash comes through and overcomes his stammering to begin the first performance of “Romeo and Juliet”.

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