Earthquakes in London: language

The dialogue in “Earthquakes in London” is a blend of everyday language and poetic narration. This combination reflects the setting’s realism and the implications of supernatural or apocalyptic elements.
The characters speak casually, employing interruptions, slang, and colloquial expressions to create an authentic and contemporary representation of London’s inhabitants.
The use of monologues by characters like Robert and Freya allows for more profound explorations of their emotional states and inner thoughts. They shed light on personal feelings and experiences, revealing depth and complexity.

The way characters express themselves linguistically often indicates their social class, education, profession, or age. This stylistic difference sets each character apart and can convey underlying societal themes.
Characters such as Peter and Sarah use a more formal, articulate language reflecting their higher social status and education, whereas characters like Colin and Jasmine often utilise more colloquial, street-wise language.

The dialogue often reflects the play’s fragmented timeline. The shift in language can be used to represent different eras - for example, 1968 or future scenes are linguistically distinct from those set in the present.

Symbolic language is employed to draw attention to the play’s key themes. Words and phrases associated with earth and natural elements symbolise the impending ecological disaster.
The references to apple trees in the play symbolise the environmental concerns at the heart of the story. This metaphor recurring throughout the dialogue underscores the urgency and destructiveness of the ecological crisis.

Despite the serious themes, the dialogue is laced with humour, often of a dark or ironic kind. Humour is used to lighten the mood, provide comic relief, and highlight the absurdity of certain situations.