This document describes how regional identity is represented in characters from various TV dramas set in different parts of the UK. It provides examples of characters from Scottish, Irish, English, London, Essex, northern English, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Yorkshire dramas. For each character, it lists attributes like dialogue/dialect, location/setting, costume, class, and describes how their regional identity can be identified through stereotypical traits like accents, professions, attitudes, and styles of dress.
2. Scottish
• Monarch of the Glen – Hector Macdonald
• Dialogue/dialect: Posh Scottish (light)
• Location/setting: Scottish highlands
• Costume and Make-up: tartan kilt
• Class/Status: Upper Class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
The regional identity can be seen slightly in his accent attire and to an extent
the environment they live in as there is not many other places in the UK that
are still green and remote. But most of all in his formal attire which consists
of a kilt.
3. Irish
• Love/Hate - Dano
• Dialogue/dialect: Irish
• Location/setting: Dublin/inner city
• Props: Guns
• Costume and Make-up: lower class clothing, t-shirt coat.
• Class/Status: lower class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
You can identify Dano’s regional identity through his strong Irish accent and
the stereotype that they are violent, alcoholics and linked to the IRA.
4. English
• Downton Abbey – Violet Crawley
• Dialogue/dialect: received
pronunciation
• Location/setting: country estate in
yorkshire
• Costume and Make-up: Expensive,
high class clothing/work clothing for
servants
• Class/Status: upper class/low class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
The regional identity of Violet Crawley is easily identified as English as they follow the
generic stereotype of English people being very posh, but it is very hard to identify that
she and her family live in Yorkshire as they do not act in a “northern manner”.
5. London
• The Take – Freddie
• Dialect: cockney accent with a slight drawl
• Location: set in London/inner city
• Props: cigarettes, alcohol, gun, broken bottle
• Costume and Make-up: Smart attire and jewellery.
• Class/Status: working class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
It is quite easy to identify the regional identity of Freddie through his accent
and his physical manner. He is portrayed as a stereotypical Londoner, with the
cockney accent and the mix of upper class and working class appearance.
6. Essex
• The only way is Essex - Amy
• Dialogue/dialect: Un-educated
• Location/setting: Essex
• Costume and Make-up: trendy clothing fake tan
• Class/Status: Working class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
You can identify the regional identity of Amy through there stereotypically
unintelligent and annoying voice and her vanity.
7. The North
• Shameless - Frank
• Dialogue/dialect: Manchunian
• Location/setting: Manchester
• Props: alcohol, cigarettes.
• Costume and Make-up: working class attire, jeans coat etc.
• Class/Status: lower class.
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
You can identify the regional identity of Frank as a northerner through his
northern sounding manchunian accent and Franks work shyness and
borderline alcoholism two negative stereotypes of northerners.
8. Manchester
• Coronation street - Fiz
• Dialogue/dialect: Manchunian
• Location/setting: Salford, Manchester
• Costume and Make-up: working class, northern attire. Jeans dark jacket
etc.
• Class/Status: working class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
You can identify the regional identity of Fiz from accent and moreover their
work. A lot of the characters work in a factory a profession associated today
with the north more than the south.
9. Liverpool
• Bread – Joey
• Dialogue/dialect: Scouse
• Location/setting: Dingle, Liverpool
• Props: early mobile phone, Jaguar
• Costume and Make-up: smart leather jacket/clothing
• Class/Status: lower class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
It is slightly more difficult to identify the regional identity of Joey as his
accent is not very profound however he follows the stereotype of
liverpudlians being less classy than those from the south which can be
seen through his willingness to bend the law to obtain money.
10. Newcastle
• Our friends in the north – Geordie Peacock
• Dialogue/dialect: Geordie
• Location/setting: Newcastle upon tyne
• Costume and Make-up: smart attire (suit & tie)
• Class/Status: working class (in later series lower class/homeless)
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character
Geordies regional identity can be identified through his strong Geordie accent
and his optimistic attitude to life (in the early series’). However besides his
manner his outward appearance is not very stereotypically Tyne.
11. Yorkshire
• Emmerdale – Zak Dingle
• Dialogue/dialect: Yorkshire/Tyke
• Location/setting: Yorkshire Dales
• Props: Farming equipment
• Costume and Make-up: northern clothing, farming attire
• Class/Status: working class
Describe how you can identify the regional identity of the character the
regional identity of Zak Dingle similarly to Coronation street through his
strong Yorkshire accent and their agricultural style of living.
