Off-Cut Eleven

This comment was published in a Rehearsal Room newsletter in June 2000.

The Monologue Contradiction

I was interested to note while browsing through Uta Hagen's "Respect for the Actor" that she makes a clear distinction between a monologue (talking to yourself) and a duologue (talking to one other person). This is interesting because often actors present monologues, which are in fact duologues. If this is the case it is important to know as much about the unseen listener and the way they might respond, as it is to know about the character you're playing. It is the quality of this unseen interaction which will have a major influence on the way your character behaves.

May 2000