Discuss how regional stereotypes are shown in the clip. Talk about Mise-en-scene, editing

and sound.

The English and the Welsh are represented very stereotypically in the first episode of Gavin

and Stacey. The English stereotype is shown in Gavin’s family who are from Essex. They have

a nice house, their own cars and a very modern kitchen/living area whereas Stacey, the

Welsh stereotype lives in a terrace house in a very old fashioned village and uses public

transport.

The first shot of the clip we see is an establishing shot of an old, run down industrial estate

and an old fashioned out of date office where Stacey is sitting on the phone. From then on

most of the shots of the different characters are mid-shots – this is for most of the time

interaction between characters is shown. Mid-shots are also used to show the audience that

there is no power or importance between the different characters. Gavin and Stacey is

edited in parallel and with continuity for it follows one story line from start to finish. This is

always shown for every time action happens in one location; it always switches to the other

location where the same action is happening but with the different family. Stacey is always

shown in a two mid-shot with her mother; this shows the closeness between the pair. This is

mirrored with Gavin and his father showing the audience the two characters similarities.

The Welsh are stereotypically shown to be very patriotic, have strong accents, happy, have a

strong sense of family and community, honest, old fashioned, lower class and very cautious

where-as English are stereotypically shown using Levi Straus’ idea on binary opposites.

Stacey is stereotypically Welsh for when we see her for the second time she is getting off an

old bus in a road full of terraced houses wearing a denim skirt and thigh boots – this brings

out the stereotype of old fashioned for a long denim skirt isn’t seen as being fashionable,

the stereotype of being a very close community is shown by the row of terrace houses, I feel

that the closeness of the houses emphasizes the closeness of the community. This is in

contrast to the second time we see Gavin, he arrives in a blue Saxo which is a stereotypical

of a British boy racer. We also see his detached house in the countryside which is

immediately contrasted against Stacey’s terrace house. We then see Gavin step out of the

car wearing a blue tie and shirt with smart trousers; this is very smart clothing which

suggests slight wealth within his household. This is seen as quite fashionable which also

contrasts with Stacey’s choice of clothing emphasizing the point of them being binary

opposites.

The next time we see Stacey is when she’s inside her house. We see her dining room in

which her mother is in wearing an apron obviously from working. The dining room is very

cluttered and old fashioned and is shown in very yellow, dark lighting, this connotes to the

audience that the room is old fashioned. This is in contrast to Gavin’s bright white house in

which we find his mother lying down on the sofa, this is contrasting between the hard-

working Welsh and the “lazy” English. Gavin’s kitchen is also very modern and fashionable.

It’s shown in bright light to connote cleanliness rather than comfort to the audience. This is

also a binary opposite of the English and Welsh stereotype. The patriotic side of the Welsh is

shown when we see Nessa for the first time, she has a tattoo of the Welsh dragon on her

arm symbolising her patriotism for her country, the cautiousness also is shown when

Stacey’s Uncle Bryn comes over with a rape alarm and they have a discussion about Stacey’s

safety in contrast to the English where none of the people in Gavin’s family are really

bothered about his safety and would much rather worry about playing golf or going on a

diet.

Sound wise, Stacey has a very strong Welsh accent and speaks with very common language

where-as Gavin has quite formal language, this is also a binary opposite of the two

characters. Nessa also speaks very commonly; she uses very crude language and a lot of

colloquial language unlike Smithy who uses quite plain English apart from some nicknames.

In conclusion, the Welsh and the English are represented differently through their

stereotypes and binary opposites. I think the way they are represented within Gavin and

Stacey is effective because it emphasizes the different stereotypes people have about each

other whether they are true or not. Also, I don’t think all these stereotypes are incorrect,

much like what Tessa Perkins thought on them.