Contrasting Musical Theatre Songs:
MT Ballad – She Touched Me, Drat! The Cat!: She touched me-2kkbjq7
Character song – Different, Honk: 311292050-Different-Honk-1tisf72
Period Monologue:
KING LEAR ACT I Scene II – EDMUND
Contrasting modern monologues:
THIS IS A PLAY – MALE ACTOR
I take up a position stage right. I am sick with embarrassment. Not only did I trip on my first big cross but now I am not in my light.
I find my light. I look out at the audience, but just over your heads so as not to destroy your suspended disbelief, and I wonder what to do with my hands.
I think about winning a Tony and begin a speech about lettuce and every time I say the word lettuce I say it with great emphasis because the writer told me to.
My story is about one lonely lettuce in a kitchen, then talk about my recently dead brother, then hint at this mysterious mission type thing I’m on. I don’t understand this speech but I manage to fake it. Then I move my arms in a strange way because the director has a dance background.
Then once again I mention lettuce. Then silence. I exit!
ROAD – JOEY
I feel like England’s forcing the brain out me head. I’m sick of it. Sick of it all. People reading newspapers: ‘EUROVISION LOVERS’, ‘OUR QUEEN MUM’, ‘MAGGIE’S TEARS’, being fooled again and again. What the fuck-fuck is it? Where am I? Bin lying here two weeks now. On and on through the strain. I wear pain like a hat. Everyone’s insane. The world really is a bucket of devil sick. Every little moment’s stupid. I’m sick of people — people, stupid people. Frying the air with their mucky words, their mucky thoughts, their mucky deeds. Horrible sex being had under rotten bedding. Sickly sex being had on the waterbed. Where has man gone? Why is he so wrong? Why am I hurt all through? Every piece of me is bruised or gnawed raw, if you could see it, my heart’s like an elbow. I’ve been done through by them, it, the crushing sky of ignorance, thigh of pignorance. What did I do! What was my crime? Who do I blame? God for giving me a spark of vision? Not enough of one, not enough of the other, just enough for discontent, enough to have me right out on the edge. Not able to get anyone out here with me, not able to get in with the rest. Oh God I’m so far gone it’s too late. I’m half dead and I’m not sad or glad. I’m not sad or glad, what a fucking, bastard, bitching, cunt state to be in. I’m black inside. Bitterness has swelled like a mighty black rose inside me. Its petals are creaking against my chest. I want it out! out! out! Devil, God, Devil, God, Devil, God, save me something. Anything. There’s got to be summat will come to help us. If only we can make the right state. If I can only get myself into the right state. This is it. This is why I’m on the diet. (He looks around, remembering) Fucking hell am I in a film or what? Or snot, or what? (He is tightening) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII bring up small white birds covered in bile and fat blood, they was my hopes. I bring up a small hard pig that was my destiny. I’d like to bring it all out but bbbbbbbbbbbbut I’ve gone all constipated on bitterness, it won’t remove itself. God give me a laxative if you got one. Ha! AArrrrrrgh! Arrrrrrgh! Oh AAArrrrrgh! (He’s sweating and straining) Come out, come out, you tight bastard. Oh no! Death suck me up through that straw inside my spine! No leave me! Oh I’m full of dark frost. Who’s done this to me! And why? Oh why? Is it worth that extra bit of business to see me suffer, is it? I blame you BUSINESS and you RELIGION its favorite friend, hand in hand YOU HAVE MURDERED THE CHILD IN MAN! MURDERERS! CUNTS! I’D LIKE TO CUT OPEN YOUR BELLIES AND SEE THE BROWN POUR!
(It should appear that he’s going to get out of bed to really kill somebody. Then Clare wakes. She puts her arm on him.)