5 audition scenes from Normal People. Available as duologue & groups — ready to download for self-tapes, drama school auditions, and practice.
Written by Sally Rooney, Alice Birch and Mark O'Rowe
Showing 5 of 5 scenes from Normal People
Characters: MARIANNE, CONNELL
Connell visits Marianne's house, and they discuss books, their friends, and their differing social statuses. The conversation builds to a pivotal moment where Marianne confesses her feelings for Connell, leading to their first kiss and a complicated agreement about keeping their relationship a secret.
Characters: Connell, Marianne
In a quiet moment after school, Connell and Marianne share a tentative and vulnerable conversation while she waits for detention. They navigate the social divide between them, discussing their teachers and the friction between their public personas and private connection.
Characters: Marianne, Mr Kerrigan, Eric, Connell
Marianne openly defies her teacher's authority after being caught daydreaming in class. The scene highlights her social isolation and intellectual arrogance, while Connell watches her self-destruction with quiet anxiety.
Characters: MARIANNE, CONNELL
Connell arrives at Marianne's house unexpectedly, leading to an intense and confusing encounter. They share a passionate kiss, but Connell abruptly pulls away, leaving Marianne bewildered by his mixed signals and their complicated relationship.
Characters: Connell, Marianne
In the privacy of Marianne's home, Connell and Marianne navigate their complex social divide and growing attraction. After discussing their differing social circles at school, they share a tentative first kiss that establishes the secret nature of their budding relationship.
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A private conversation can feel riskier than a public argument. These scenes offer different ways into that tension: Connell and Marianne testing their connection, pulling back from intimacy, or challenging authority in front of an audience. Choose the situation that gives you something specific to get from the other person.
Compare these picks from the full collection. Formats, characters and estimated durations are listed with each scene.
Tentative connection
The detention conversation gives Connell and Marianne an ordinary subject to talk about while they test how much they can reveal. Choose it to work on listening and a gradual change in confidence.
Try in rehearsal: Try keeping the conversation going without admitting why you want it to continue.
A sudden change of direction
An unexpected visit moves toward intimacy before Connell abruptly withdraws. The challenge is making both the approach and the retreat understandable, while Marianne tries to make sense of him.
Try in rehearsal: Choose the thought that makes you pull back, or the answer you need before you let the other person leave.
Defiance under scrutiny
Marianne challenges her teacher in front of classmates. This offers a more public conflict than the two-person scenes, with the pressure of an audience inside the story.
Try in rehearsal: Make each reply an attempt to hold your ground. Let the teacher’s response determine whether your next move is sharper or more measured.
For the quieter exchanges, decide what you want to find out before each question. Give your reader time to answer. For a classroom scene, establish who is watching and when their presence changes how you speak. You can suggest intimacy through attention and distance without staging a kiss in your audition.
Check your audition brief for permitted material, format and time limits.
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