Monologue Preparation

1
Monologue Preparation

• Walking and Speaking in a Characters Shoes

2
Task

• Using the play you studied in class, present a
  monologue where you
• assume the role of a character from the play
• speak about yourself or another character
• through your comments present an invited reading
  of that character.
• Before you commence your monologue, you will need
  to give a brief statement about your chosen
  character/s and the context in which you are
  speaking.
• Purpose To analyse the dominant
  readings of
• Text and how
  audiences are positioned to
• accept this
  perspective
• Audience Theatre goers.
• Roles As a speaker you will present to an
• Relationships audience of theatre goers an
  Invited
• Reading of your text.
• Length 3 4 minutes.

important
3
Character selection

• What information do you have?
• What characteristics are apparent?
• What changes in character can you reveal?
• How does the character influence the story line?
• How relevant is the character to the overall
  discourse?
• Is there sufficient information for effective
  insight into the characters overall role to
  sustain the length of monologue required?

4
Character profile

• Gather material about your character according to
  the questions on the previous slide, noting in
  particular the way in which the character
  develops so that the discourse is strengthened.
  In addition, look at
• What is the author positioning the audience to
  believe about this character?
• What judgement about the character is the author
  positioning the audience to make?
• What are the flaws/good points which the
  character himself/herself is aware of?
• Who is to blame for the predicament the character
  is in?
• What social comment is the author making about
  the characters faults/good points?

5
Select the character
Banquo
Lady Macbeth

• Create a general profile of events for the
  character
• Match the profile of events/incidents with the
  mood changes of your character
• Tag these mood signifiers in your text
• Then ( next slide)

Macduff
Macbeth
6
What does a monologue do? What are its
characteristics?

• Reflective
• Revelatory
• Justifies Actions
• Explores motives
• Considers significant milestones
• Assesses relationships

7
Preparing to write the monologue

• The character decision has been made so..
• NOW
• Decide on where and when the monologue is to take
  place- indicate into what Act, Scene, line or
  section of the novel you would insert the
  monologue.
• Think carefully what does the character not
  know or know at this point? You must keep to
  this.
• Decide on moods/emotions of your character
• Plan an outline of your monologue what is your
  character going to reflect on?
• Plan the audience positioning of your monologue
  what do you want the audience response to be at
  the end of your monologue ? What emotion do you
  want to evoke? What quotes/lines do you want to
  use?

8
Writing the monologue

• Starting point- when and where( place)
• Macbeth Act 5,5 line 49 e.g. I begin to be
  weary of the sun I have been betrayed and I
  just.
• What aspect of the character do you start with?
  Begin reflection with a weary and disappointed
  Macbeth who realises the witches have betrayed
  him
• Mood / movement to accompany- Moves to look out
  over the advancing troops

9
Follow your planned outline

• Where to from the start?
• Where do you want to finish?
• What other emotions and reactions do you want to
  explore? A concept map will help e.g.

Start weary
regretful
Blames others
guilt
Finish anger
10
Follow your planned outline

• Where will you use lines, phrases from the text?
• Where will you build in movement?
• What props will you need?
• How do you want to ensure audience positioning?

Show audience I regret my actions by
Start
Finish
11
Presentation

• Props?
• Movement decisions
• Script know the material- length
• Stance/facial expression
• Pacing of reflective speaking/ pace reflects
  emotion!
• Volume reflects emotion
• Eye contact?