The Interrogation of Jonathan

Gordon provides a harrowing personal testimony detailing the horrific violence he and his son Jonathan suffered while detained by the police at John Vorster Square. Written by Colin Welland and Euzhan Palcy for the drama film Dry White Season, this intense contemporary monologue captures the agonizing reality of apartheid-era injustice and state violence. It functions as a somber, devastating narrative of survival, fatherhood, and unbearable loss.

Gordon is a working-class father in his forties who finds himself thrust into an unimaginable nightmare. He carries deep emotional trauma, vulnerability, and grief, yet he maintains an enduring dignity as an everyday man bearing witness. His objective is not to elicit pity but to set the record straight, recounting the brutal ordeal with precision despite the profound agony of remembering what happened to his child.

This two-minute dramatic piece offers male actors aged 35 to 45 an extraordinary showcase for restrained, grounded emotional depth. Audition panels often look for performers who can resist the urge to over-dramatize horrific events, and Gordon's testimony allows you to demonstrate immense vulnerability without resorting to melodramatic shouting. It highlights your capacity to tell a compelling story, navigate severe emotional stakes, and hold the room with quiet authority.

This monologue is particularly well suited for drama school auditions, self-tape submissions, and general practice. Actors who fit working-class, everyman, or protective parent casting profiles will find material here that demonstrates intense dramatic range. It is ideal for auditions that require a serious contemporary monologue dealing with themes of grief, injustice, and human endurance.

Avoid playing the ending before you arrive there, as the horror lands most effectively when Gordon remains focused on the factual sequence of events. Fight to stay composed, letting the physical memory of the interrogation emerge through small behavioral hesitations, breath adjustments, and quiet moments of stillness. Allow the audience to imagine the offstage horrors by keeping your gaze rooted in the specific memories you are reconstructing.