Mitzi's Abortion- analysing monologue

Queen Margaret- analysing monologue

Queen Margaret-research

I searched on YouTube for previous actors having played the role of Queen Margaret- primarily due to being able to use it as a learning process and being able to critique what aspects of the performance I felt portrayed the character accurately and honestly.

The Actor seen in this clip from the 2012 ESU National Shakespeare Competition did not perform the monologue in which I will perform, however, I believed this helped me more in understanding the characters actions in later scenes and her interaction more with those she 'despises'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBVSsDJ2d74

I also looked at a clip of Branca Ferrazo performing the monologue in which I will be performing. This helped realize what level of emotion was needed, due to the actor playing the role more upset than angry which I thought was less appropriate.

This performance also helped me with the pronunciation of specific words such as 'sepulchre' and 'environed'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZnzwquSX6g

My Acting CV/ Portfolio

Jodie Kelly

Email: jodiekelly96@gmail.com

 

Height- 5’6”

Hair colour-light, mid brown

Eyes- Blue

 

Playing age: 16-20

 

Nationality: English, White European

 

Location: Lewes

 

Training:

Chailey Secondary School (2008-2013)

Central Sussex College Haywards Heath (2013-)

Skills:

Contemporary Movement

Physical Theatre

Improvisation- Forum theatre, Short and Long form.

Scripted Plays

Accents and Dialects:

West Country (UK)

RP

Cockney (Enlgish)

English Standard

Generic American

Southern American (Texan)  

Generic Australian

Achievements:

Sports Leadership Award

Plays and Roles:

Tissue: Zoe, boyfriend, mother (School Production)-supporting

As You Like It: Amien (School Production)-minor

Top Girls: Joyce (College Production)-lead

 

Other Projects and Experience:

Music Video for ‘Thieves By The Code’- Main Role

Workshop with ‘The Noise Next Door’

Workshop at Oxford School of Drama in

Shakespearean language, Stanislavski,

Lecoq styled movement

Mitzi's Abortion: research on Elizabeth Heffron

Mitzi's Abortion: research

Too Much Punch for Judy- analysing If it would be an appropriate monologue to perform.

The Gut Girls: analysis

Portfolio picture

The Audition Speech: Why these monologues?

The Audition Speech

Contemporary:

1.       At first I chose Judy’s monologue from Too Much Punch for Judy due to it being in retrospective and having a clear emotional journey; such as different shades of sadness, and the character’s retelling and ultimate coming to terms with a tragedy. I was also drawn to the fact that the play was based on true events and the honest accounts of the people involved in the crises in which the play centres around (of a young woman killing her sister in a drunk-driving accident).  However I then reconsidered my choosing of this particular monologue, firstly due to the Essex accent needed, and secondly due to my confusion on how to ultimately convey an emotional journey, one in which I and the audience would be able to relate to.

 

Due to this decision I then looked at two monologues from Glass Eels by Nell Leyshon but found that the characters age would not completely fit with my playing age range. I then eventually was drawn to the play Mitzi’s Abortion, due to the political, personal and cultural issues that are explored.  I had recently performed the role of Joyce from Top Girls (Caryl Churchill) and therefore did not feel completely overwhelmed by the themes, if anything I felt more familiar with such political theatre and felt it could be more universally relatable and cyclical throughout the years. Due to this feeling and reading through the monologue by Mitzi, whom is the main character, I could see myself performing such a speech. I especially liked the almost ‘numb’ air in which the character communicated her tragedy, therefore suggesting how the monologue required more subtleties, hence the plays naturalism.

 

The character of Mitzi is 23 and I believed that was just in my playing age range, therefore requiring maturity as oppose to uncensored energy. The short direction:

 

MITZI, 23, sits uncomfortably at a restaurant, opposite her soon-to-be ex-husband, Chuck. Throughout the following she avoids looking at him.

 

What I liked about this was the implied use of Stanislavski’s Areas/circles of attention, meaning we are brought completely into the characters personal environment, and immediately we feel empathy/ sympathy due to her uncomfortable state. The effect of not looking at the implied other character also allows for a clear train of thought to be seen, as a result, drawing us in.

I also felt, reading up on Anencephaly (the birth defect in which Mitzi's unborn baby has developed) helped further my understand of the characters approach and choices in her speech. This severe birth defect creates an absence of a major portion of an unborn babies skull and brain; it can not be treated and most babies whom suffer with such a defect do not survive. The condition is usually only able to be diagnosed well within the pregnancy-26 weeks, and therefore such a discovery can lead to the controversial act of a late-term abortion, which Mitzi's doctor suggests is the right option. 

 

2.       The length of the monologue when timed, including all of the pauses is approx 2minutes.

 

3.       There is no dramatic climax, however the speech is still gripping and has the power to stand on its own without any narrative drive needing to be given beforehand, due to this happening within the monologue anyway. The emotions needed are very specific, due to the rare and personal issue being dealt with. I feel the emotional journey of this monologue is one starting with a tone implying ‘chit-chat’ and then the character gets consumed in her own memories and the wonder of being a mother even for just a short period of time in the eyes of others, yet for her she feels as if she will always be a mother after that; the journey and monologue finally ends with her almost ‘coming back down to earth’ as she realises where she is and that she is facing her husband, whom is silent and whose face she cannot completely read.

 

4.       In this monologue, the narration in which it seems to possess allows for emotional involvement and clear train of thought but it also helped me to realise traits and tendencies of the character, and therefore I think it is intended to the same for the audience. The use of stillness at points and clarity of thought is critical in this monologue; pauses and breath control also need to be considered, due to the naturalism and lack of physicality involved, therefore the need to concentrate and be scrutinized in having intent with every action/ movement produced.

 

Shakespearean:

 

1.       At first I wanted to choose a comedic Shakespearean monologue due to my ‘tragic’ contemporary monologue that I had chosen at the time from Too Much Punch for Judy. Therefore I looked at such speeches as Phebe from As You Like It and Viola from Twelfth Night, both, in my opinion, however did not appear to have a motivating theme/ intent throughout that would keep an audience/panel interested in the audition process. However when I then changed my contemporary monologue to the one from Mitzi’s Abortion I decided an angry play (one in which contained a historical setting that still focused on political issues, however from a different class, time and issue) would be well suited. I was drawn to the first monologue from Henry VI Part 3, which is performed by the character Queen Margaret, whom, when I read up on, I immediately wanted to play due to being branded the first of Shakespeare’s fierce and fiery female characters. She is a relentless and passionate woman, whom takes it upon herself to build an army and fight for her families place on the thrown, she does this due to her husband, Henry being a feeble and weak king, unable to stand up to competitors. I also chose this monologue due to the theme of family explored, even though the ‘family scenario’ is presented in an obscure and abstract way, it is still a universally recognisable situation in which the audience as a whole could relate to in one way or another.  The  ‘family feud’ that is conveyed has been, at one point of another, felt and  experienced by all.  

 

2.       The duration of the monologue is approx. 2minutes.

 

3.       The whole speech is dramatic and I believe there is a climax at the very end, but the reason for this is explained within the speech due to a decision Queen Margaret has decided upon. Anger is the main compelling emotion throughout, however there are many different levels and shades of anger explored- no one could stay at the epitome of their anger for a full two minutes, therefore if I were to play it in such a way it would become one-dimensional and unrealistic. I also believe the complexity of the character is explored throughout the speech therefore the journey of the monologue is shown through the varying shades of emotion and thoughts being conveyed.

 

4.       Due to the angry essence in which the monologue requires there will be less stillness shown, which as a result, helps physically juxtapose and distinction one monologue from the other. Stillness, at first, would be unsuitable, as it would not fit with the anger and starting pace of speech; however further on, I believe the technique of stillness could be utilized when Queen Margaret takes hold of her emotions and falls into the act of patronizing Henry. A clear formal posture and tone will be shown due to the time period and class of the character being performed and the use of articulation and breath control will help establish this angry, yet regal individual.

College of Idaho theatre perform The Gut Girls

 

I found this interesting as it was an American college (Idaho) performing a British play. To me this communicated how relatable the play as a whole was; internationally, and of any age. Pain in universal and therefore this makes the characters ever more naturalistic and real.

Sarah Daniels list of Plays

List of Sarah Daniel's plays


This shows that the playwright is experienced, she is well known within the industry and The Gut Girls was in the midst of a long career, possibly as the time considered her prime?

The 80s was also a time for great political change and therefore writing and performing such a play as The Gut Girls also conveys how woman still suffer and feel the pain universally, as well as throughout history. The early 20th century, the 80s and now is a time in which The Gut Girls relates too, and as a result conveys the quality in which Sarah Daniel's writes with; it shows how both cultural, social and political change is moot and therefore as a result, theatre continues to be cyclical.

Gut Girls Synopsis- Sarah Daniels

Gut Girls synopsis