#talking statues

[dionysusinexile]

Have you heard of Rome's talking statues? These ancient statues were commonly used as a kind of bulletin board, for poetry and protests. The best-known is Pasquino (near Piazza Navona), who's still "talking" today.

Then there's Madama Lucrezia (near Piazza Venezia), who may have originally represented the goddess Isis, or the empress Faustina. Il Facchino (near Via del Corso) carries a barrel of water.

Babuino gave his name to Via del Babuino. He represents the god Silenus, but was nicknamed "Babuino" for his ugliness. Babuino was still "talking" until recently, but the wall behind him has now been coated with anti-vandal paint.

[existingcharactersdiehorribly]

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Here’s the audio file for the English Version of [Mads Mikkelsen reading as Hans Christian Andersen for Talking Statues]

[andrewscottt]

A slew of famous voices are bringing 10 of Dublin’s best-known monuments alive

Andrew Scott, left, who performs the script written by writer John Banville, imaging what Oscar Wilde might say to passersby. (x)

[fionnapancake666]

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NYC Talking Statues - Mads Mikkelsen as Hans Christian Andersen ( x ) for @sympathyforthecannibal 

[baba-yaga-not-only]

“During recording with actor Mads Mikkelsen playing Hans Christian Andersen in Central Park “ for New York Talking Statues art project. - [x]

[thecrankyprofessor]

 Pasquino

[thecrankyprofessor]

 Madama Lucrezia

[freelydifferentluminary]

“Tommy” and “The Reading Girl” - This is like Six Degrees of Separation. What do Sir Patrick Stewart and Jenna Coleman have in common?

According to a 2014 article in The Guardian, both actors have lent their voices to “talking statues” in the U.K. Evidently, passersby can now hover their smart phones over the statues and, seconds later, receive a phone call from the statue in question. Stewart voices “Tommy”, the statue of an unknown WWI soldier in London's Paddington Station, while Jenna portrays the “reading girl” outside the Manchester Central Library. Here’s more about Jenna’s marble child:

Here is a sample of Jenna’s monologue.

Other celebrities have voiced other statues. Someone named Prunella Scales provides the voice of Queen Victoria. It’s a shame that the creators of the “talking statues” (Sing London) didn’t have a glimpse into the future. Imagine the stroke of good fortune to have had Jenna playing that part.