Monologues

The Next Challenge! (Updated 11th May 2020)

Well done to everyone who took part in our last challenge, you all did a great job! Our next challenge is for you to write your own monologues.

These can be about anything you want, but should last no longer than 2 minutes.

We will be choosing our favourites to show on Wednesday 20th May, and have the following criteria so far:

  • “Best Written monologue”
  • “Best Performed monologue”
  • “The One that made Clare cry”
  • “The one that made Brian laugh”
  •  “Overall Winner”

Once you have written and practised your monologue please film and send it over to us. You can either email it over to us on Youth@belfreytheatre.com or ask your parents to send them via whatsapp. If you’re videos are large, please send it via WeTranser. All videos must be submitted by Tuesday 19th May.

 

Below are some things to think about that may help when writing and performing your own monologues:

Who is speaking the monologue? Whose point of view is the monologue from it could be:

  • Your own (About something that has happened to you, an opinion you want to express or about feelings about something)
  • A character you have created.
  • A character from play/ film/ story (You could write a speech as a character you know, e.g Cinderella wanting to go to the ball, or from another characters point of view like one of the step-sisters, etc)
  • A pet/ object/ something else (Your speech could be based on what your pets think/feel/ do when you’re not there, or from the point of view of a Christmas decoration and how it feels it be shut away 11 months of the year, etc )

What is happening?

  • What is the monologue about?
  • Why is the character speaking?
  • How does it make the character feel?

Other things to remember when writing:

  • The needs to be a Start, Middle and End. 
  • Thoughts, feelings and details are much more interesting to an audience than just facts.
    For example the sentence:  “I went to the park. It was a hot day so I got an ice cream.”
    Could be made much more interesting by adding some feelings
    “I went to the park yesterday and I was so excited to be out of the house. It was a super hot day so I begged my parents for an ice cream”

Things to remember when performing:

  • Pace– Make sure you do not speak too fast. Slow down by using pauses and thinking about what you are saying. Don’t go a mile a minute
  • Diction and Articulation- We want to hear the words, so try to be clear.
  • Emphasis/change of emotion/subtext/characterisation- Use all of these skills we talked about in the last challenge to bring your monologues to life.
  • Use of costume/props and atmosphere– When used appropriately these can enhance your speeches and take them to the next level

Good luck everyone!