Monologues for 16 year olds on the theme of 'contradications'?
February 23, 2018 3:23 AM Subscribe
Looking for 2-3 minute monologues on the theme of contradictions for a class of 15-16 year old students. Plays ideal, TV and films also good - even poetry or books at a pinch.
My husband's drama class all need monologues for their exam pieces. They are 15-16 years old, have a range of abilities and from diverse backgrounds (he teaches in an inner city school in the North of the UK.) The material needs to be suitable for the age range but he can edit out bad language if necessary. The theme of contradictions can be interpreted in any way at all!
We've looked at previous threads and are hopeful that you will be able to come up with some unexpected and creative ideas!
My husband's drama class all need monologues for their exam pieces. They are 15-16 years old, have a range of abilities and from diverse backgrounds (he teaches in an inner city school in the North of the UK.) The material needs to be suitable for the age range but he can edit out bad language if necessary. The theme of contradictions can be interpreted in any way at all!
We've looked at previous threads and are hopeful that you will be able to come up with some unexpected and creative ideas!
Many of Dorothy Parker's short stories are both monologue-style and deal humorously with some form of contradiction-- probably too long as-is, but they could perhaps be excerpted or edited. "The Waltz" is a particularly good example in this vein.
posted by Bardolph at 6:58 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by Bardolph at 6:58 AM on February 23, 2018
Maybe not 'contradictions' per se, but definitely 'opposites' would be How I Met My Wife by Jack Winter which uses all the words that are negative but don't really have an antonym...without their prefixes...like 'couth', 'gruntled', or 'mayed'. It's clever and silly and probably just right for that age group. (There's also some poems that use the same concept on that page)
posted by sexyrobot at 8:24 AM on February 23, 2018
posted by sexyrobot at 8:24 AM on February 23, 2018
John Donne's Holy Sonnet XIX is (being a sonnet) probably too short, but is otherwise perfect.
Joan's trial monologue from Shaw's "St. Joan" is juicy and might appeal to the more melodramatically inclined.
Isabella's speech that ends II.iv of "Measure for Measure" muses on contradiction and hypocrisy, and is disturbingly pertinent to current cultural conversations.
Those are what immediately come to the top of my mind, but I'm sure more will come to me...
posted by Dorinda at 11:22 AM on February 23, 2018
Joan's trial monologue from Shaw's "St. Joan" is juicy and might appeal to the more melodramatically inclined.
Isabella's speech that ends II.iv of "Measure for Measure" muses on contradiction and hypocrisy, and is disturbingly pertinent to current cultural conversations.
Those are what immediately come to the top of my mind, but I'm sure more will come to me...
posted by Dorinda at 11:22 AM on February 23, 2018
Left field suggestion. One of my audition monologues for years was Leo McKern's monologue when he was "brought back to life" in the final episode of The Prisoner. It starts "I feel a new man. Ha ha. It has been my lot in the past to wield a not inconsiderable power", and goes from there. No one else will be using that monologue!
posted by wittgenstein at 12:05 PM on February 24, 2018
posted by wittgenstein at 12:05 PM on February 24, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by googly at 5:58 AM on February 23, 2018