We’re a few weeks into rehearsal and for us new cast members, one thing has really started to sink in. This is all really happening. We’re acting in a show that’s almost entirely in Klingon. We’re past the point of no-return and going boldly where, well, many actors have gone before. Knowing this has been a source of comfort for me because as I quickly found out, memorizing Klingon is no easy task.
As soon as we had worked out pronunciation at one of our early language sessions I began working the Klingon lines. At first I could barely string together a complete sentence. Finding a rhythm in the wholly foreign sounds of thlIngan Hol was tricky and everything I said sounded like I was choking on my uvula. I began to grow a little concerned. How on Earth (or, how on Qo’noS?) was I going to pull this off?
During one of the first rehearsals I probed returning cast members for memorization tips, which turned out to be immensely helpful. I returned to my script and began following their suggestions by translating the Klingon lines back into English. This helped me see what meant what and made clear some of the subtle differences in translation. Being able to assign more meaning to different words assisted with both my memorization and my acting.
I also spent time breaking up each Klingon word into syllables. Like any language, there is a rhythm and music to thlIngan Hol and breaking each word down paved the way to finding it. The “beauty” of the Klingon language is joked about on occasion in Star Trek but when spoken correctly, it is rather pleasant to listen to!
At rehearsals we’ve finally begun working the scenes in Klingon and I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going. The advice from cast members helped me feel confident in my Klingon and it’s great to hear the scenes spoken as they are meant to be heard. I can’t wait to see it all come together on stage.
Saturday I get to practice my fight scene and I couldn’t be more excited. I had the opportunity to see a bit of one of the other fight sequences during rehearsal this week and they are cool.