Charlie Haylock: how I taught Ralph Fiennes to sound Suffolk

Charlie, who taught Ralph Fiennes how to do what may be the only truly correct Suffolk accent ever heard in film and television drama will be sharing his behind the scenes memories with audiences at The Corn Hall, Diss, on Friday June 21, aka Suffolk Day.

His one man show Charlie Haylock & The Dig starts at 7.30pm, with doors opening at 7pm.

Charlie said: "As a matter of interest, this will be my 170th talk (yes, ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTIETH) and I still have a fair few to go as yet. It's proved very popular."

Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes in beloved Suffolk film, The Dig (Image: Archant)
The talk, he explaines, is an intriguing and sometimes hilarious look behind-the-scenes of the Netflix film about the famous Sutton Hoo burial ship and the people involved, particularly local archaeologist Basil Brown, played by Fiennes, and landowner, Edith Pretty, played by Carey Mulligan.

Highlights will include the tale of how a potential "scam" email from The Dig producer turned out to be real, and was followed by a phone call from Ralph Fiennes himself.

Charlie will also show how Fiennes and the other "Suffolk" actors learnt not to sound like West Country pirates, as almost everyone else on television always does when pretending to be from Suffolk. 

One of Charlie's favourite photos from the set, taken by Carey Mulligan (Image: Carey Mulligan)

Charlie added: "My dialect tour of the British Isles showing how a deaf person can lip read and tell what dialect it is was one of the reasons I was selected to be Ralph's dialect coach. I demonstrate that for the audience.

"I will also explain the extreme lengths Ralph Fiennes took, not only to play Basil Brown but to become Basil Brown. . . absolutely jaw dropping."

To book tickets, visit https://www.thecornhall.co.uk/shows/charlie-haylock-and-the-dig/