Cicely Berry’s is the voice and speech teacher at the Royal Shakespeare Company and is one of the leading teachers in voice technique. Similar to Linklater, Berry also believes breath is at the center of all voice work and relaxation is key. However, she is a strong supporter in the “muscularity of language” (Ellis) or essentially, the rhythm of the text. She explores the structure of speech, especially the difference between prose and verse. Her method of vocal technique is aimed at helping the actor  “…find the language within themselves, which is underneath the logical meaning of the words…”(Ellis) which incorporate actor’s mentality and personality into their voice work.

            Berry believes there are four main factors that influence the voice. The first is environment- we are influenced by the sounds and we hear spoken around us when we are a child. The second is ear, or the perception of sound. Some people here sounds more distinctly than others. The third is physical agility which means they have differing degrees of muscle awareness. This is related to the comfort you find in expressing yourself in your voice. The final fact is personality, which has to do with the voice being sensitive to what is around it. The speech of someone in the country is very different than that of someone in the city. 

 

​