Contemporary Monologues

Olga gave me Paulina :

I read threw it a few times, I didn't really like it that much and I am not exactly sure why.  I think I didn't like it because:

- It feels a bit too old for me
- I felt awkward when reading it
- I didn't really understand it

Then Olga gave me a monologue from Rosaline from the play 'After Juliet'. I read it a few times, I wasn't really sure how to speak the words, I did like it but I wasn't sure how to speak it. I get really nervous reading monologues in front of loads of people, because I feel you constantly have to have the audience's attention, and you absolutely HAVE to stay in character.

The part of 'After Juliet' I got given was when Rosaline went to Juliet's grave and spoke to her about all the things Juliet did too Rosaline that made her upset or angry, I didn't really know how to act it out.

I liked this monologue because:

- There are many different ways to act this out
- There are many different ways to speak the words
- You can use different levels of voice and how the character is staged
- There are different moods in this speech

But I also don't like it because:

- It's a very long monologue
- It can be difficult to find out how to speak in certain sections
- It's hard to do facial expressions

When I read 'After Juliet' the notes I got given were:

- Bank it
- Possibly don't always talk to the grave / could be stronger
- It was too long / find a cut off point
- Heighten the emotion

That same day Olga gave us all loads of hand outs which included more monologues, mainly from DNA and one from Valerie in 'The Weir':

Valerie / The weir:

One of Leah's monologues in DNA:

And another one: 

I haven't actually read Valerie's monologue, looking at it I know I would have to find a cut off point because it is so long and could drain people who are watching me perform the monologue.

With the first monologue from Leah in DNA, I don't like this one as much as the other one. I can tell her character is extremely chatty and just talks a load of rubbish. She seems very paranoid and that she over thinks everything.

I don't like it because :

- It's draining
- It's repetitive

I like it though because :

- She's funny with how she is an attention seeker
- She's very factual
- She doesn't stop talking
- Feel like I could play her age

With the second monologue of Leah :

I prefer this because :

- She's funny
- She realises she talks way too much
- She sounds like me in some situations

I don't like it because:

- It's long / needs a cut off point
- Sometimes it can be hard to know how to read it out
- I don't know whether to stand or sit etc...

So far out of these monologues I am struggling on which ones to use. I want the one that I am comfortable with and think I can act out well. But I know that you don't ever find the perfect one because nothing is perfect and I just need to look around and find some more.

And some monologues that Olga gave us last week: