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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To read The Tiger Who Came to Tea in a very posh voice

73 replies

TheChristmasCountessOlenska · 19/12/2011 12:33

It just comes out! Mummy is like Celia Johnson and Daddy is like Trevor Howard from Brief Encounter.

The Tiger is a very posh gay man (can't think who that would be, maybe Oscar Wilde??)

OP posts:

suburbandream · 19/12/2011 16:06

I saw this thread and have just spent ages trying to remember the name of the actor who read it brilliantly on one of those Jackanory-type programmes. Guess where I found my answer? On another MN thread of course, here http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_books/905953-The-Tiger-Who-Came-To-Tea/AllOnOnePage It was Mark Warren, and he did the tiger kind of posh/growly/bit tipsy. Can't find it anywhere though but the other MN thread is another classic with all sorts of theories behind the story

suburbandream · 19/12/2011 16:06

sorry, link went wrong

Gert2a · 19/12/2011 16:22

Being a VERY broad Yorkshire girl I love saying 'bens' instead of 'buns'.
Also have you noticed that makka pakka is also sat in the cafe?

nativitywreck · 19/12/2011 16:29

Quenelle, if I had a DH who could sound like Richard Burton I would be a very happy woman!

WinterWonderlandIsComing · 19/12/2011 16:32

Richard Butron would declaim the Tiger or the Gruffalo.

DS (4) reads character parts in a bizarre Pee-Wee-Herman voice.

Almostfifty · 19/12/2011 16:34

That has to be my favouritest ever ever book for children. I too used to read it in a posh voice.

OH used to change the caff to the pub. I wonder why?

nativitywreck · 19/12/2011 16:34

I like the feminism theory, but when I read The Tiger book I sort of imagine that Mummy has been in a bit of a Valium haze all day and forgotten to go shopping, so she tells Sophie that the cat is really a tiger who has eaten all the food.
When she is frantically telling Daddy about the tiger, you can tell he doesn't believe a word of it, and is merely humouring her, before having her sectioned some time later in the week, when his secretary will be moving in to take care of Sophie, and all his domestic needs.

It's a bit dark, admittedly.

DashingRedhead · 19/12/2011 16:43

My tiger is posh, low and rather affected. Everybody else is quite posh too. And even though Daddy doesn't drink beer, or Mummy, we say 'all Daddy's beer and Mummy's wine'.

My favourite for doing different voices is 'That rabbit belongs to Emily Brown'. I do the silly, naughty queen rather as a cross between Miranda Richardson in Blackadder and whoever it was who used to say 'I'll thcream and thcream until I make myself thick!'

TroublesomeEx · 19/12/2011 16:43

mother there are some very serious issues here...

nativity yes yes, daddy knows. He doesn't believe her. Same in our theory too. Perhaps it is a valium haze . It was written in the 60s wasn't it? Mm, compulsive eating is so much more of a 21st century issue. I think your theory carries some weight!

Wilson the feminist theory does hold with the zeitgeist doesn't it? So yes, maybe DH was being a bit too contemporary!

Anyway, a tiger definitely did not actually come to dinner. Mummy has some serious issues, daddy knows about them but can't let work find out about it because it will affect his promotion prospects so he covers for her by taking the family out to eat sausages, chips and ice cream at the local cafe.

msbaublestwinkle · 19/12/2011 16:57

The Gruffalo is Brian Blessed in our house

MrsPlesWearsAFez · 19/12/2011 17:19

Another Leslie Phillips Tiger in this house...

Original poster

TheChristmasCountessOlenska · 19/12/2011 17:19

OP here, glad I'm not alone in this

Yes to whoever said that Mog's family are not quite in the same league posh wise. Their children are called Nicky and Debbie, and the Dad watches the fight and grows Geraniums in a window box

I haven't really developed a Gruffalo voice yet - I am liking the sound of Brummie Gruffalo though!

OP posts:

TroublesomeEx · 19/12/2011 17:31

I love the idea of lots of Leslie Phillips Tigers!

SuePurblybiltbyElves · 19/12/2011 17:50

No, Mog's family are lower-middle. Deffo.

The tiger in my house is a sort of deeper Kenneth Williams, a drawly one. Ver' posh and ver' camp

TroublesomeEx · 19/12/2011 18:11

Sue that sounds a bit like our Leslie Phillips Tiger...

SuePurblybiltbyElves · 19/12/2011 18:17

Could be, could be...

KitchenandJumble · 19/12/2011 18:26

Love this thread!

tralalala · 19/12/2011 18:38

sorry but the gruffallo is broad west country.

bobbledog · 19/12/2011 18:40

I'm always concerned that Sophie goes out to the cafe wearing her nightie

motherofsnortpigs · 19/12/2011 18:58

bobbledog it's a cry for help.

IWillNotNeverEatATomato · 19/12/2011 19:11

I tend to find that I can not read Paddington Bear without suddenly using a 1950's BBC voice.
in fact I defy anyone to read Paddington without going all posh

I don't have a particular person for the Gruffalo, but he tends to be a generic london cabbie (so I suppose Ray Winstone is not far off)

marriedandwreathedinholly · 19/12/2011 19:12

I think it's Kenneth Williams. But I read everything in a posh voice. DH is a slightly more Northern version of Siegried from it shouldn't happen to a vet and our own dc used to remind me of Alfie and Annie Rose but I am definitely not like their mum who looks a bit leftie and women's libby and wore dangly earrings. Our second son's diminutive was Alfie because of the book!

nativitywreck · 19/12/2011 19:21

Has anyone else noticed that in the Mog books Mrs Thomas becomes more and more frumpy. The woman has cankles!

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