Wix - The Oberon Book of Comic Monologues for Women

THE OBERON BOOK OF
COMIC MONOLOGUES FOR WOMEN

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Andrew and everyone at Oberon
Books. A big thank you to Alice Russell, Rob Aslett
and Lily Williams. A special thank you to Jennifer
Saunders and thank you very much Mandy Wix.
Much gratitude to Clara Brennan, Anna Starkey,
Marianne Buckland, Anna Crilly, Sophie Black and
Henry Petrides.

FOREWORD

So Katy Wix has written this book of comic monologues and I may have to steal some of them. Although written for the female voice, I dare say they would stand up very well if you were a gentleman and changed the odd word or two. Here you have a book filled with brilliant characters and much funny. Each piece is bubbling with the quirky genius that makes Miss Wix one of the funniest performers / writers around.

If I was ever called to audition, which I am not often despite being largely available and willing to try my hand at most things, I would be most grateful to Miss Wix for this fantastic collection. However most likely I shall keep it by my bed to dip into for laughs.

It is a very good read.

Well done Miss Wix.

Jennifer Saunders

March 2014

INTRODUCTION

Hello.

Thanks for buying this book! I hope you enjoy my first collection of humorous monologues for women. I have written forty original comedic speeches intended for performance, which you will hopefully enjoy reading, even if youre not a performer yourself. The monologues are designed for actresses of all ages, accents, backgrounds, heights and star-signs.

During my time at drama school, I remember struggling to find a modern, funny audition speech that I really engaged with and that hadnt been heard numerous times before so I began writing my own monologues for myself and the other students, which is how this anthology came into fruition.

Dramatic monologues are a very effective way of capturing the ebb and flow of thoughts and feelings that pass through a character. The directness of the monologue can create a brief moment of intimacy with an audience, which can have much impact, creating the perfect blend of theatrical and personal.

This book provides performers with a range of different female voices, which I hope you will find entertaining and fresh. When searching for an audition speech myself, I often encountered the same, familiar female archetypal roles and so, with this book, I was keen to provide a more satisfying feast of female parts from the very silly to the darker or melancholic. But mostly, I hope this collection helps you to find your inner clown.

A NOTE FOR PERFORMERS:

Ordinarily when preparing an audition speech it is necessary to read the full play to better understand the character and situation. These monologues exist in a vacuum if you will free of contextual restraint. I have deliberately not included a playing range or accent. I would encourage you, the performer, to feel free to create your own story and background to these speeches and decide on your own interpretation. They are designed as a vehicle for you to best show off your performance skills. The speeches within these pages should be approached with imagination and as a means of exploration.

I hope you find a speech that makes you laugh and that you will enjoy performing.

Good luck!

Katy.

KATY WIX

Foreword by

Jennifer Saunders

OBERON BOOKS
LONDON

WWW.OBERONBOOKS.COM

First published in 2014 by Oberon Books Ltd
521 Caledonian Road, London N7 9RH
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7607 3637 / Fax: +44 (0) 20 7607 3629
e-mail:
www.oberonbooks.com

Collection copyright Katy Wix, 2014

Foreword copyright Jennifer Saunders 2014

Katy Wix is hereby identified as author of this work in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The author has asserted her moral rights.

All rights whatsoever in these monologues are strictly reserved and application for performance, other than in an audition context, should be made before commencement of rehearsal to Curtis Brown Group Ltd., Haymarket House, 28-29 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4SP; 020 7393 4400; . No performance may be given unless a licence has been obtained, and no alterations may be made in the title or the text of the monologue without the authors prior written consent.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or binding or by any means (print, electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

PB ISBN: 978-1-84943-428-7
EPUB ISBN: 978-1-84943-942-8

Cover design by James Illman

Printed, bound and converted
by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY.

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