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A monologue should have a beginning, middle and an end.
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A monologue should always reveal something
– be it a story, a secret, an answer to a question, or an emotional outpouring.
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A monologue offers insight into the character.

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Reflective
Revelatory
Justifies Actions
Explores motives
Considers significant milestones
Assesses relationships

In theatre, the monologue can be a great gift. It's a gift to the audience to look up on that stage and see inside the thoughts of a human being. For the great monologues are private moments, secrets, emotions, heartbreaks, wonders.

In every monologue a character must need to speak.
In every monologue you write, you must determine the need for the character to speak. What drives the character? What is the character’s motivation?

Choose an object and give it a voice.
Is it happy? Unhappy? What are its dreams, hopes, and fears? What does it want? What is its past and what does it hope for the future?
Write a monologue for this object – imagine it is speaking.
What would it say?

How could you just use me like this? I thought we had something together. I thought I meant something to you. When you chose me, I was so excited. ME, you picked me out of everyone else.
I was a little worried about leaving home, even though it was always, always cold in there, but I just knew that together we would have the most exciting and fabulous life. I gave up everything for you. And you --- you just threw me away.
You used me up, and threw me away. Was this all I meant to you? Was I just some … container to you? Nothing more? You could at least have put me in the recycling bin.

Your Choice

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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 character ’ s overall role to sustain the length of monologue required?

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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 character ’ s faults/good points?

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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)

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The character decision has been made so…..
NOW
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Decide on where and when the monologue is
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 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?

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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 accompanyMoves to look out over the advancing troops

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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
Finish anger
Blames others guilt

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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?
Start
Show audience I regret my actions by
Finish

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