18/11/2019
How to select a contemporary monologue for a drama school audition
Before applying to drama school, the search for an incredible contemporary monologue begins. However, with so many plays to choose from, and with vast criteria of requirements to adhere to, it's difficult to know where to start looking for a monologue.
This blog post aims to answer some of the more troubling questions. You will undoubtedly need more than one contemporary speech prepared. Drama school audition panels have been known to ask if you have an alternative monologue, the reasons for this can vary vastly, however, at this point in the audition you want to be able to deliver whatever you are asked for and to the best of your ability. If you are offered to perform a different piece, it is the perfect opportunity to showcase your range as an actor; therefore, each of these speeches should be contrasting. The term 'contrasting' can be a little confusing, it can mean; genre of speech, objective, (what the character is fighting for) Pace in which the speech is delivered or the underlying subject/tone of the monologue.
tACTic TIP: aim to contrast in as many ways as possible because sometimes the genre of the play can be different, but the characters at their root can be very similar.
A contemporary monologue needs to be able to showcase your strengths as an actor. If comedy is your forte, your contemporary monologue is an opportunity to deliver that. Every speech MUST have a journey. The drama school need to be able to see your character begin in one place and end somewhere else (emotionally, not geographically). Actors are storytellers. Share your character's story. The actor needs to be of a similar age to the character in the speech. If you are unsure of what type of characters to go for, ask a friend who they think you could be cast as right now. Be honest with yourself, if you know people often assume you are younger than you are, then playing older isn't a wise choice. Remember, the most critical component in delivering a contemporary monologue is that you give a truthful performance. If you can't imagine the given circumstance the character is facing or the events discussed in the monologue, it is highly unlikely that it is an appropriate speech for you. The drama school audition does not need to be a perfect performance, if you were already perfect, what would be the point in applying? It needs to be a well thought out character not far from who you are as an actor.
With so many demands to meet, actors are often tempted to write a monologue to suit their needs, as much as this is tempting and justifiably creative, DO NOT DO THIS. Monologues for drama school auditions need to have come from a published play it states this on the websites and in the correspondence from the schools. Narrow your search. There are so many plays written each year! Although the technical definition of contemporary is post-1956, try and focus on looking at plays written in the last ten years. Modern plays are far more likely to resonate with your own experience of life, thus, bringing you closer to a truthful performance.
Be mindful of google. Contemporary monologues found on google generally aren't from published plays and to be quite frank it is incredibly lazy to begin your search this way. If it is possible, take a trip to the royal court theatre in London. The building is renowned for the new writing it produces, the onsite shop is crammed with fantastic new plays. They are incredibly affordable, averaging £5 a script. In the unlikely event that you don't find a suitable play at the royal court, the national theatre also has a vast collection of plays in their bookshop. TIP: Avoid temptation in choosing the latest smash hit play to select your monologue. When a play has just been performed and recorded as a sensation, industry professionals and your audition panel will have no doubt flooded to see the performance. To avoid the inevitable comparison, do not choose a speech from a hugely popular play.
Monologue books are useful if you are very stuck, but only as a guide to begin the search for suitable material. Read the monologues if you find one that you like, I would suggest getting hold of a bunch of other plays by the same writer as opposed to going for the easy option of selecting the one in the book, which countless other auditionees will have done. If you do decide that the one in the book is the perfect monologue for you, READ THE PLAY.
Film and TV scripts as audition material isn't an advisable choice, although, some drama schools do allow the material. If you do decide to do a speech from this platform, make sure it is written as a monologue originally and not cobbled together.
tACTic xoxo
