The best A-level Drama monologues are pieces from published plays where the character is close to your student's age or experience, wants something specific from someone on stage, and changes their mind at least once. Chadwick in Punk Rock, Mary Warren in The Crucible and Irina in Three Sisters are three that work for most cohorts. Below is a fuller shortlist, all in the AuditionScenes library, with duologues for pairs and a few notes on matching pieces to students.
What the practical exam is asking for
A-level asks for more than a good GCSE performance. The examiner is looking for an interpretation: a clear idea of the character, the play and what the student wants the audience to understand. That changes what a good choice looks like.
The specifications differ, so check yours before anyone learns a line:
- Edexcel (Component 2, Text in Performance) asks for a group performance of a key extract plus a monologue or duologue from a different performance text, assessed by a visiting examiner.
- AQA (Component 3, Making Theatre) has students explore extracts from three different plays and perform the third, applying the methods of a prescribed practitioner.
- OCR and Eduqas have their own text and time rules.
Every board sets time limits and rules about which texts can be used, and most stop students performing from a play they study for the written exam. Read the current specification and your board's guidance first.
How to judge a piece in five minutes
Run any speech through these four questions before you hand it over.
- Who is the character talking to? If the answer is "nobody" or "the audience, sort of", the student will drift. A listener gives them something to play against.
- What do they want by the end? It should be an outcome they can name, such as to be believed or to make someone leave.
- Where does it turn? The best speeches have a moment where the character realises something or changes tactic. That is where the marks are.
- Can your student defend the interpretation? At A-level they will need to explain their choices. A piece they find interesting will give them more to say.
Contemporary monologues
Chadwick: the end of the world
Punk Rock by Simon Stephens. Chadwick is a bright, bullied sixth-former who, when pushed, calmly sets out how human civilisation will collapse. He is exactly your students' age, the stakes are huge and the speech is all about control. It suits a quiet student who can hold stillness. The trap is playing him as strange. He is the only person in the room telling the truth as he sees it.
Jim: the penguin story
Chatroom by Enda Walsh. Jim tells the other teenagers in the chatroom about the day his father left him at the zoo, dressed as a cowboy. It is funny for a while, then it isn't. It suits a student who can tell a story and let the audience work out how much it hurts. Chatroom is a popular school text, so check it isn't on your written paper.
Maggie: the Ardstraw dance
Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel. Maggie remembers sneaking out to a dance as a girl with her friend Bernie. Maggie is older than your students, but the memory is of a teenager, which gives a student a way in. It is gentle and very easy to overplay. Good for a student who listens well on stage.
Classic and modern classic monologues
Mary Warren: the testimony
The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Act II. Mary comes home from court and describes how she became convinced Sarah Good was a witch. She is seventeen and frightened, and for the first time in her life people are listening to her. The speech builds as she half-convinces herself again. There is also a shorter accusation speech if your board's time limits are tight.
Irina: the longing to work
Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, Act I. It is Irina's name day and she has decided the meaning of life is work. She is twenty and completely certain, and the audience knows it won't last. A good choice for AQA students applying Stanislavski, since the given circumstances are rich and the subtext is clear.
Hedda: the boredom
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, Act II. Hedda admits to Judge Brack how empty her marriage already feels. Hedda is older than your students, though a clever young woman trapped by other people's expectations is something many sixth-formers recognise. It needs a student with real control, because Hedda gives away very little.
Christy: the mirror
The Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge, Act II, Scene 1. Christy looks at himself and enjoys being admired for the first time in his life. It is comic and physical, and the language is a gift once the student finds its rhythm. Strong contrast for a student whose other work is serious.
Shakespeare
Isabella: the plea for mercy
Measure for Measure. Isabella argues with Angelo for her brother's life. She is young, principled and out of her depth, and she gets better at arguing as the speech goes on. Students who like debate tend to love it.
Hermione: the trial
The Winter's Tale. Hermione defends herself against her husband's accusation in open court. It needs stillness and dignity. A strong piece for a mature student who wants classical verse that isn't from the usual handful of plays.
Duologues for pairs
Edexcel students can offer a duologue in place of a monologue, and duologues are useful for any extract work. These give both actors something to play.
- Antigone and Creon. Antigone by Sophocles. Antigone is brought before the king after burying her brother. Two people who are both completely sure they are right. Ideal for exploring Greek theatre and for any practitioner work on status.
- Nora and Torvald. A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, Act III. Nora tells her husband she is leaving. The challenge is that Torvald has to be more than a villain, or the scene has nowhere to go.
- Biff and Willy. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Act II. Biff finally tells his father the truth about both of them. It is huge emotionally, so it suits a pair who trust each other.
- Amanda and Laura. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Amanda finds out Laura has stopped going to business college. Mother and daughter want opposite things and neither can say so directly.
- Electra and Clytemnestra. Electra by Sophocles. Mother and daughter argue over the murder of Agamemnon. A good route into Greek theatre for a pair who like heightened language.
- Katurian and Michal. The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh. Two brothers in a prison cell. It is dark and very funny. The play's content needs a conversation with your department first, but for the right pair it is an exceptional piece.
Matching the piece to the student
- Start with what they're good at. A quick, comic student and a still, intense student need different material. Christy and Chadwick are both brilliant, and almost nobody suits both.
- Read three before choosing. Have the student read three pieces aloud. The one they keep returning to is usually right.
- Read the whole play. Examiners and moderators can tell when a student knows only the extract. At A-level the interpretation depends on it.
- Time it as performed. Time the piece with pauses, movement and reactions, then check it against your board's limits before anyone starts cutting.
- Link it to the practitioner early. For AQA in particular, decide how the practitioner's methods will shape the piece before blocking, not after.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an A-level Drama monologue be?
It depends on the board and component, and the limits change between specifications. Check your board's current specification, then time the piece as it will actually be performed.
Can students use a monologue from a film or TV show?
Not for the scripted exam. The text normally has to be a published play. Screen speeches are still useful for practice and self-tape work.
Can students perform from a play they are studying for the written paper?
Usually not. Most boards stop students performing from a text they are being examined on elsewhere. Check your board's rules on text choice before anyone commits.
Should students play characters their own age?
It helps. Mary Warren, Chadwick and Irina are all close in age. An older character is fine if the student can play the situation truthfully rather than playing age.
Where can students read the full scene?
Every piece above links to its page on AuditionScenes, with context for the scene. Pro members and students on a teaching plan get the full text and a formatted PDF.
For drama teachers
If you're finding pieces for a whole Year 12 or 13 group, the AuditionScenes teaching plan is built for it. You set each student a scene with a due date, they submit a recording against it, and you leave notes and revision requests on each one, all in a portal under your school's name. The classical library uses verified public-domain texts, so everyone works from a reliable edition. Book a 15-minute demo or see the teaching plans.