Barrington Stage Company: Part Three
Was Charlotte von Mahlsdorf a Berliner or Bavarian ?
By: Astrid Hiemer - Jun 01, 2008
To present the Berliner main character, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, (Vince Gatton) in an American Play I Am My Own Wife with a Southern German or Bavarian accent borders on blaspÂ…!
In Germany there are many more regional dialects spoken, than there are States (16). Add to that number the Austrian and Swiss variations. Hochdeutsch, High German, is the classical form that is spoken in many families in all regions. In Northern Germany, Hanover is uniquely known as the city, where the population speaks mostly High German. There are, for example, the Hamburg and North German dialects, Plattduetsch, with its many similarities to Old English words. In Bavaria one can hear many variations of Bayerisch, ja, Bavarian German. The Rhine/ Mosel Regions have produced melodic inflections, wine and song abound, and the Berliner Schnauze, the Berlin big mouth, is another strong German dialect.
I recall my first trip with the family driving from Hamburg into the country side and was astonished that one could hardly understand some of the people we encountered.
Judging from the snippet of the real Charlotte von Mahlsdorf's voice, which could be heard at the end of the play, I venture to say that she spoke publicly English with a High German accent. But I am also sure, that the real Charlotte, a.k.a. Lothar Berfeld, would, on occasion, let loose a strong Berliner burst, because that is what Berliners are known for. However, I can see Charlotte presenting herself as well educated and mannered and so she spoke mostly a form of High German.
Regional German accents or dialects also translate into different kinds of accents in Foreign Languages. There is no one German accent. Germans in America speak with more or less heavy and different accents, or almost none, as in my case. I had the chance to spend a summer in London, with a German-British family, when I was twelve years old. There, I learned to speak English, and having lived in America for nearly forty years has also diminished my accent. However, we experienced a sweet moment in Georgia on a recent road trip, where a young woman asked me in her Southern lilting voice: "And where does your strange accent come from?" We burst out laughing !
I wonder how Lothar, the young man, came to call himself Charlotte von Mahlsdorf. A simple explanation would be that Charlotte was from Mahlsdorf-Berlin, but since the little words von und zu in Germany also indicate old family standing of nobility, did (s)he intend to elevate himself? Probably so, it fits within the character.
Many aspects of the play have been discussed by BFA writers (Charles Giuliano and Larry Murray). Charlotte von Mahlsdorf apparently worked from 1971-76 as an IM (Independent Contributor) for the STASI, the East German secret police, and added to the files and information, which were kept on a high percentage of the population. The German film, The Lives of Others, which won an Oscar in 2007, deals with that subject matter. For in depth information, please refer to my BFA article (January 17, 2008), subsection film.
Vince Gatton's acting was superb. I became totally absorbed by the play throughout the second act. I had to get used to hearing Charlotte, the Berliner, during the first act in her sweet Southern German tone and accent. I recall Anna Deavere Smith, who has done one woman shows of many characters, answer the question, how she was able to transform herself instantly from person to person? She would jog, she said, for many months, while listening to the voices of the people she plays, until they inhabit her. And so I wonder, how Gatton has mastered the many characters he presents in I Am My Own Wife. He also moves beautifully from character to character, almost flawlessly. Charlotte is dressed in drab clothing and a bandana to cover the hair. But she wears a double string of pearls. The props and character clothing changes are minimal and very effective. And the scenery allows for just the right mood to evoke her Gruenderzeit Museum.
I stood up at the end of the play with other viewers and gave Charlotte an ovation. But do not think, even for an instant, that she is weak and sweet. (S)he is a Berliner !