A good short theatrical play to read aloud

June 28, 2017 5:19 PM

Theater Filter: What's a good theatrical play for one person to read/present to a group? As a Toastmasters assignment in interpretive reading, I need to find a play or a self-contained scene that can be done in twelve to fifteen minutes. Ideas?

I'm thinking something with relatively few characters. I'm already baffled how you realistically and seamlessly "switch" characters while reading so hints on that are also welcome.

posted by storybored to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

The Guardian has recently been presenting some terrific one-person scenes about, of all things, Brexit. Even if you don't want these scenes, they might offer some insights into some playwrights to investigate or themes to consider. The A.L. Kennedy piece with Scott Reid is pretty fucking great.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 6:11 PM on June 28, 2017

I'm no expert, but I think Spoon River Anthology is often used for such tasks.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 6:35 PM on June 28, 2017

Ten-minute plays are a thing, and it looks like there are some full texts available online. (Those are just the first two results I found, there are more listings I think). I haven't sifted through these at all, can't vouch for the quality, sorry.
posted by amtho at 7:55 PM on June 28, 2017

You switch character by switching voice and mannerisms. That doesn't mean you go basso profundo if you're a woman playing a man, or falsetto vice versa. Some of the best audiobook narrators do this...I'm thinking Rob Inglis in his masterful reading of The Lord Of The Rings. Merry sounds as different from Pippin as Gandalf does from Frodo, and Goldberry sounds nothing at all like Tom Bombadill, even though dialog tags are read aloud.
posted by lhauser at 8:00 PM on June 28, 2017

Edward Albee's The Zoo Story was originally pitched by a tape where Pinkas Braun voiced both roles, so there's established precedent for that particular work. If you don't want to switch voices, it also has a few long monologues by one of the characters (specifically "The Story of Jerry and the Dog").
posted by jackbishop at 6:48 AM on June 29, 2017

Does it need to be a play script? Because there are a number of old classic movies that are very talky, and their scripts are available online. A scene from there might work. Two of my favorites: All About Eve and Double Indemnity.
posted by JanetLand at 8:36 AM on June 29, 2017

Woody Allen's short play "Death Knocks," a parody of "The Seventh Seal," might work for this. Short, funny, and only two characters (one of whom is, you guessed it, Death).
posted by holborne at 2:40 PM on June 29, 2017