6 Quick Tips to Polish Your RP Accent for the Stage

6 Quick Tips to Polish Your RP Accent for the Stage – Insights from CAT’s Dialect Coach Jon Yusko

In preparation for Charitable Acts Theatre’s production of Pride and Prejudice at the historic Midway Town Hall, one thing is certain: this cast sounds more and more like they’ve stepped straight out of Regency-era England. Much of the credit goes to Jon Yusko, CAT’s professional dialect coach and RP (Received Pronunciation) expert.

We sat down with Jon to uncover his five essential tips for actors looking to quickly level up their RP accent—and whether you’re in an upcoming show or just love sounding posh, these tips are your new best friends.

1. No “R’s!”
   ‍RP is a non-rhotic dialect. Rhoticity is not what spins the chicken at the grocery store, it determines how we pronounce the letter R. In RP, the post-vocular R is not pronounced! Unless, of course, it is followed by a vowel. If it helps, go through your script and cross out every R that comes after a vowel. If the R is followed by a vowel, write a little “R” in front of the next word!
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2. Start learning the “Ask List”
   RP isn’t about faking a British accent — it’s about understanding the sounds. Jon recommends starting with the “ask list” — a set of key vowel sounds (like bath, path, dance) that are often mispronounced by American actors. Master these and you're off to a strong start. Download "Ask List"
   
   ‍“RP is about clarity and intention. The ‘ask list’ gives you a foundation to build everything else on.” — Jon Yusko
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3. Know the difference between Trap and Bath
   The “Ask List” should help with this! Never make the mistake of mispronouncing a trap vowel as a bath vowel. Remember that the A in “can” is very different from the A in “can’t.” I like to find every A in my script and underline the A’s to be pronounced as a bath vowel and circle the A’s to be pronounced as a trap vowel.
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4. 4. Vet Your YouTube Sources (Seriously)
   Jon warns: not all YouTube videos are created equal. In fact, many tutorials aimed at Americans unintentionally spread bad habits. A safe rule? Stick to RP tutorials by native Brits — especially voice coaches or BBC-trained presenters. An example of good instruction is John Windsor-Cunningham, How to Do A British Accent Convincingly for American Actors on Youtube.
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5. Get Feedback Early and Often
   The worst thing you can do? Practice wrong. Jon emphasizes reviewing your accent work regularly with a coach or experienced peer before muscle memory sets in.
   
   “It’s much easier to learn it right the first time than to unlearn a bad habit later.” — Jon
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6. Use the Cambridge Dictionary for Word-Level Accuracy
   Not sure how to pronounce schedule, controversy, or leisure in RP? The Cambridge Dictionary provides both audio and phonetic spellings. Bookmark it. Use it. Love it.

Bonus Tip: Soak in Great Performances

Want to hear RP done right? Jon recommends:

• Sense and Sensibility (Ang Lee, 1995)
  
  
• The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper, 2010)
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• ‍Rogue One (Look for K-2SO, Alan Tudyk’s RP accent is spot-on). Gareth Edwards, 2016.

Wrap-Up: Script Work & Immersion

With Pride and Prejudice just around the corner, Jon’s final piece of advice is gold: immerse yourself. Watch quality films, annotate your script with pronunciation notes, and practice speaking with rounded lips and nasal resonance. Before you know it, you’ll sound like you were born in Hertfordshire.

“You’ll find your accent sitting in the mask, your lips rounding, and your performance sounding more royal by the day.” — Jon Yusko

Don’t miss this delightful production of Pride and Prejudice June 2–14, (2025) at Midway Town Hall — and come hear how these dedicated actors (and their accents) bring Austen’s world to life. For tickets and more info, visit hebercat.org. 

Want some more pointers on your RP accent? Contact Jon at jonyusko1111@gmail.com or Instagram @Jonbaral