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.
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