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Unit
3 - Character
Module
1: Ways Into The Work
Lesson
2 - What is a Monologue?
Introduction:
Students
will be introduced to the concept of monologues through reading
and research.
Activities
Activity
1 - Warm Up:
Stand in a circle and stretch and breathe in through the nose,
out through the mouth. Use stretch to reach up and then bend
at the waist - as you fall exhale with a sound. Begin walking
about the room with various movement qualities and sounds: vibrate;
slide; bounce; shimmy; jab.
Activity 2 - Concentration Exercise:
Find partners, call each A and B, stand facing one another.
A is to begin a monologue about shoes - B starts a monologue
about a movie at the same time. Your job is to concentrate on
your topic while trying to make your partner lose their concentration.
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Key
Question : How do actors
keep their concentration and remain in character? What
is the best way to speak in character - what happens
to the body physically? |
Activity
3 - Reading Monologues:
The teacher will select a variety of monologues for you to
read aloud as a class. They may include the following monologues:
"The
Break: 10 the Hard Way"
- by Cliff Burns
These
6 monologues have been selected from a one-person show on
the theme of relationships breaking up. In the original collection
there are ten monologues written for ten separate characters,
with a wide range of emotions depicted. Though written from
a male perspective, either gender can play the role for the
purpose of the classroom exercise. Strong language has been
used in some cases, feel free to adapt it as needed. Perhaps,
after reading the break up stories you may be inspired to
create your own monologue on a similar theme.
Questions
to consider as you prepare the monologue piece:
1) Who is speaking? List qualities of the person’s character.
What do you think the character looks like?
2) To whom is the monologue addressed? What is the relationship
to this person?
Discuss
how the type of monologue reflects upon the character represented.
How might they be portrayed in different settings?
Activity
4 - Background Information
Read the information
on the historical monologue. Your teacher may ask you five questions
regarding the content and have you write responses on a paper
to check comprehension. These quizzes might be peer-marked out
of 5.
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Historical
Background on the Monologue as a Art Form:
- began
in the 18th century
- Samuel
Foote (1721 - 1777), British satirist, wrote burlesque
which mimicked well-known actors and political figures
of the day
- George
Alexander Stevens, in 1764 he wrote Lecture upon
Heads, in which he lampooned many common stereotypes
and social behaviors. Was very successful, his shows
ran a thousand performances each. He was the inspiration
for many others.
- Ruth
Draper performed her one-woman shows in the 1920's
- 1940's in England. Her "monos" were
two hours long and involved various characters created
from her imagination. She spoke many languages and
performed all over the world. She portrayed a variety
of characters, from all walks of life and developed
the monologue as a mini play. She never used a script
but relied improvisation - always looking for new
ways to express herself. She use only simple props
to create her magic. She felt if she truly committed
herself to her imagination in creating her characters,
the audience would believe in them.
- Historical
Monologues - shows created on real people, such
as Charles Dickens, Mark Swain, van Gogh and Georgia
O'Keefe.
- Modern
Soloists - many famous shows on Broadway, Rob Becker's
Defending the Caveman is the longest running
on-man show. Shirley Valentine, performed
by Pauline Collins, Search for Intelligent Life
in the Universe, by Lily Tomlin, and Alec McGowan
in The Gospel According to St. Mark are a
few examples.
- Eric
Bogosian, Laurie Anderson and Spalding Gray are
a few artists whose work has been in the modern
theatre, often employing multi media effects.
- Rick
Mercer, Mary Walsh and Cathy Jones, from This
Hour Has 22 Minutes, are good examples of topical
(Canadian) humour which involves creative characters
who rant in a short monologue.
- There
are spoken word artists, such as William Burroughs,
Henry Rollins and (Saskatchewan writer) Sean Virgo,
who have produced their work on CD.
- Due
to the simple (and low cost) nature of the monologue,
it is often seen at Fringe Festivals across the
country, thereby securing the reputation for cutting
edge viewpoints.
(Source:
Creating Your Own Monologues, Glenn Alterman,
Allworth Press, New York, 1999)
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Brainstorm
all the ways in which a monologue may be invented -
create a web of ideas to show sources for inspiration.
For example: character types, locations, political issues,
parody, a memory, a dream, etc. |
Activity
5 - Improvised Monologues:
Write a stimuli for a character scenario on a slip of paper
and put it in a container. Ideas of inspiration may be a
problem in a specific location, a certain class of
person, or a situation. Try to offer conflict in
unlikely settings - something with a problem to resolve.
For example:
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a streetperson finds a suitcase of money with the local
mob's insignia on it
- the
queen addressing the nation realizes she has forgotten
her speech
- a
tough guy takes a woman to a sad movie
Take
turns pulling scenario ideas out the container and play
them out as monologues. Time them to 1 minute limits.
Don't tell the audience what you are doing - show it,
do it.
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Discuss
the statement "the more the actor believes in the
situation, the more the audience will believe it".
Commit to the idea, whatever it is. |
Evaluation:
Participation may be evaluated, and a brief quiz on the historical
monologue is possible, depending on your teacher.
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