In theatre art is created through textual and phonetic parameters, facial expressions, gestures,
proxemics and, of course, actors. In my thesis I focus on the actors’ stage speech in W.
Shakespeare’s play King Lear. I analyse the stage speech using prosodic means (pauses, speed,
loudness, intonation, register and colour of the voice). The analysis I use is twofold: there is the
auditory perceptual analysis and the analysis with the program Praat. In addition to speech, I
also research into the emotional expression of the actors. When it comes to facial expression
and gesture, I focus mainly on the effects they have on the individual’s speech. I observe these
two elements in a video recording of a play from 1963 (dir. Korun Mile) and then I choose five
acts to analyse. In each act I select one scene that is the most relevant to the course of the story
and contains recurring dramatic characters. In the end, I want a better understanding of the
speech and emotional development of the selected dramatic characters.
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