SERIELAND COULISSE - Because the comedians' accents are too pronounced and their local lingo, some Americans need subtitles to watch the British series "Peaky Blinders," reports series creator Steven Knight. 

PODCAST

A charismatic gang leader, caps in which razor blades nestle, a dark and hazy atmosphere and a rock soundtrack ... This week, in SERIELAND, Clémence Olivier takes you behind the scenes of the British series "Peaky Blinders ". 

Since its launch in 2013, the British series

Peaky Blinders

, which tells the story of a group of gangsters who rule in Birmingham at the beginning of the 20th century, has been a hit.

It already has 5 seasons, has been awarded several times and is broadcast around the world: in Europe, Asia but also of course in the United States. 

On the other side of the Atlantic, of course, we watch the series in its original version.

But according to

Peaky Blinders

creator

Steven Knight from Birmingham, a lot of Americans also turn on English subtitles!

Why ?

That's what I'm going to tell you ...

Emphasis: a challenge for actors

When he imagines his series - It is based on the story of a real group of gangsters who rule in Birmingham at the beginning of the 20th century - Steven Knight has a fad: that his characters are realistic.

To get there, he learns about the historical context, cares about the costumes, and also how to talk about the actors.

The Shelby gang comes from Birmingham, so they must speak as in the popular, industrial circles of the time with the accent and local jargon.

For the actors, it's a real challenge.

Because this accent from the west of England is one of the most difficult to master.

So much so that many English production companies avoid staging fictions in Birmingham.

So the actors and actresses roll up their sleeves.

Londoner Helen McCrory, who plays Aunt Polly, finds inspiration to say the least original.

She uses music videos from a heavy metal singer from Birmingham: Ozzy Osbourne.

Cillian Murphy, the interpreter of Tommy Shelby the leader of the gang, chooses for his part an approach… immersive.

He captures the specifics of the accent by going to the pubs of the city.

And then he works very hard.

In an interview with the newspaper Cork Beo, he also confides that it takes him on average a month to find the right tones.

But it pays!

And on the screen he gradually loses his Irish accent to appropriate that of the native Birmingham.

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Enough to lose some Americans!

Yet they speak the same language.

That's why they need English subtitles.

Imagine, it's as if we French were watching a series whose action takes place in Quebec with characters who speak with a marked accent and local expressions.

Well, we would certainly need a helping hand to understand what is going on in the dialogues.

Still too London accent? 

For their part, and despite the efforts of the actors, the inhabitants of Birmingham are not all convinced.

Some believe that the accent used in

Peaky Blinders

is more like that of Liverpool or that we hear the London origin of certain actors ...  

So you will tell me, does it really matter?

No, answers Steven Knight.

Because if he wants the language to be as close as possible to that of his characters, he remains pragmatic.

For him, there is nothing worse than an actor who focuses on his way of speaking rather than on his playing. Performance comes first!

And when we see the result, we can only approve it!