Build an argument
The General Lot of Women
The Duchess of Padua · Play · 00:01:45
Duchess
The Duchess moves from her own position to the lives of other women. Find each change in the argument and who she needs to persuade.
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680 monologues · showing 24
Choose an acting challenge, then read the scene. Check its length and source against your audition brief.
Build an argument
The Duchess of Padua · Play · 00:01:45
Duchess
The Duchess moves from her own position to the lives of other women. Find each change in the argument and who she needs to persuade.
Explore this monologue →Make politeness threatening
A Florentine Tragedy · Play · 1-2 min
Simone
Simone keeps the language of hospitality while narrowing the room around his guest. Work on the threat underneath the welcome.
Explore this monologue →Found scenes you want to keep?
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Start with the audition brief: the permitted source, playing age, style and time limit. Then read for a specific relationship and an immediate need. Who is the character speaking to? What do they want that person to do? What changes as they speak? Those questions give you something concrete to play, whether the piece is quiet, funny or confrontational.
Compare a few possibilities before learning one. Read each aloud and look for a moment when the character changes approach: a request becomes a challenge, a joke becomes an admission, or an explanation becomes an appeal. Choose material whose circumstances you understand and whose language you can make your own.
Use the one-minute monologue collection or two-minute monologue collection to narrow your search. Listed durations are estimates. Time your own performance with the pauses and reactions you intend to use, and leave room within the brief's limit. A useful short selection has enough context to make the relationship clear and an ending that completes a thought. Check whether cuts are permitted before editing a longer piece.
In a comedy monologue, work out why the situation matters to the character; let the humor come from their attempts to deal with it. For a dramatic monologue, identify what the character is trying to change. You do not need to sustain one emotion throughout the speech. If you need contrasting pieces, compare their relationships, objectives, pace and use of language as well as their genre labels.
Follow the source requirements for your audition. A contemporary film speech may suit screen practice but will not satisfy a brief that specifically requests a published play. Explore classical monologues, Shakespeare speeches and contemporary monologues, then check the work and the surrounding scene. For school applications, consult the school's current requirements; our RADA, LAMDA and Guildhall pathways can help you start your preparation.
Open a piece to check its character details and preview. Read the full scene and, where possible, the surrounding work before committing to a performance. Establish what happened just before the speech, choose a specific listener and try different ways of getting what you want. Record a timed pass and check whether those choices are clear.
Use the casting filters to narrow your options, or try Monologue Match for suggestions based on your brief. A free account lets you save favorites for your shortlist. Pro adds full scene text, PDF downloads, Director's Notes and practice tools.