This is bad news for audiences. When actors keep dropping off, the audience inevitably misses what the actor is saying. Worse still, they are unclear on why the actor is saying it and lose interest in the story.

Why Do Actors Drop Off?

Dropping off before the end of the line is usually a sign of uncertainty on the part of the actor.  Sure, sometimes we will need to play uncertain characters. However, as performers, our skill is in delivering powerful performances no matter how understated our character’s traits may be. There’s always technique at play even if the character is one who mumbles or struggles with shyness.

Even anxious characters will try to get their point across by focusing their thoughts and intentions on the other character. Even if they are unsure about their thoughts, the thoughts are sent to the other character. Furthermore, those thoughts are sent with the intention of being received. The tendency to drop off before the end of a line is a manifestation of uncertainty on the part of the performer, not the character.

Wading off the ends of sentences or thoughts is weak, lifeless and uninteresting. When actors start losing the ends of their lines, the audience starts flipping through the playbill (and wishing they were on their couch binging Netflix and UberEats). To keep our audiences engaged, we must also stay engaged with the fullness of the language and the ideas that underpin it.

The audience will follow you as long as you don’t lose sight of your actions and objectives.

As actors, our confidence in our character’s intentions will help us drive those thoughts to affect the other actor. This, in turn, will capture our audience’s attention.

How to Get To The End Of the Line

So, how can we ensure our fellow actors and audiences are being affected by our performance? It’s simple… but not always easy.

Take in what has been said to you, let it affect you and then respond. This is all basic acting stuff, but the key is to do it all quickly. Turning up the pace can instantly transform a slug-fest into a fiery piece of theatre. This usually happens towards the end of the rehearsal process, when the intentions and thoughts are clear. You may hear your director politely shout at you – ‘pacey pacey darlings!’, this is your cue that it’s time to heat it up.

The audience will follow you as long as you don’t lose sight of your actions and objectives. Throughout your rehearsal period, play both of these with full commitment.

If you need a refresher on how actors use ‘actions’, we highly recommend Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus.

Allow your speech to be influenced by the intensity of your intention. When actors can hit the keywords in the character’s speech, we make it clear and easy for our fellow performers and audiences. This clarity allows our audience to grasp the meaning and experience the story.

Practical Exercises

How do we take this note on? If you find yourself getting this note, try this exercise:

1. Get a tennis ball or other bouncing ball and find a wall you can safely bounce it against.
2. Imagine that your ‘thought’ or intention is contained within the ball.
3. Prepare to throw the ball. As you say the line of text, release the ball with some force against the wall.
4. Catch the ball as it comes back to you, and move on to the next line.
5. Do this for each line of the text.
6. Notice how the physical action of sending the thought influences the way you say the words.
7. Practice this a few times to imbue the text with new energy and intention.
8. Fun bonus: If you are rehearsing a scene with a partner, why not get them to join you? Throw the ball to them directly while saying your lines, and get them to do the same back. You will absolutely notice a change in the way you deliver the text. Pay attention to the new power of the lines and the drive in the performance. Feel free to discuss these changes with your scene partner afterwards.

Lastly, a quick note on pauses: Pauses should come naturally. They also must be earned. If you pause too much in a speech you will lose your audience, and they will ‘get ahead of you’. This spells disaster for the performance. As soon as the audience checks out, they lose interest in the next moments of the performance. Remember that a pause can hold more value than text, so don’t overindulge in them and rob them of their power.

Closing Thoughts

The next time a director tells you to “Get to the end of the line,” remember that this note is for everyone’s benefit. Actors who can get to the end of the line bring their performances to life at a professional level.  As we’ve touched on, this note is really about what lies underneath the character’s text.

As an actor, the clarity of thought and intention that you bring to the text will reveal your character’s motivation and story. Hitting your keywords and moving through the text with pace will give your performance energy, vitality and motivation. Don’t allow the uncertainty you may feel as a performer to limit the fullness of your character’s expression.

Commit to getting to the end of the line, and you will find your performance lifts in every way.

Want to practice getting to the end of the line in a rewarding and fun environment? Join our StageMilk Drama Club to get professional, individual feedback every month to help you take your acting to the next level.

The post Get To The End of The Line appeared first on StageMilk.

In this article, I’m going to talk about how I got into a drama school in the UK. I’ll tell you about all the things I learned (or stumbled across) in my journey, and give you some tips that might make your own path a little easier. The one thing to remember throughout all of this is that it’s never easy: it’s never a matter of being discovered and being told how brilliant you are. It takes research, planning, hard work and thick skin.

Now, all of this is easy for me to say: I’m currently sitting in a coffee shop on my gap year! My place at a drama school is confirmed and the process, for me, is all wrapped up. But the reality is it’s not all good adrenaline that gets you to this point. Adrenaline can quickly turn into anxiety; sometimes, when you don’t hear from your schools for weeks, it gets you down and it makes you nervous. It’s not all fun and games … but I believe that’s exactly what makes it worthwhile. No pain, no gain. So don’t give up hope just yet. Grab something to eat (you’ll need the energy) and sit down for the ride.

Finding the right Drama School

The first step to any UK degree-level course starts with UCAS. Create an account, search up the schools and courses you may love, and start the application. A little insider’s tip: apply to conservatoires as well as universities. You only get five university options, but you can apply for six conservatoires as well, meaning you get 11 options instead of the usual five! Some of the UK drama schools such as LIPA and Bristol School of Acting are classified as universities not conservatoires, so I would really recommend applying to as many as you can. It’ll give you more audition experience and more options in case you change your mind.

After sending off your UCAS application, the real grind begins. Don’t be surprised if your friends are getting interviews left right and centre and you are still hoping for an email reply. That’s just how it works. Patience is a virtue.

First Audition Round: Online Edition

In our post-COVID world, first-round auditions are often online. This means your self-tape game has to be perfected (I used StageMilk’s guide and I also loved reading Peter Skagen’s Screen Acting: Trade Secrets, which helped me to get my technique right.) Here are quick tips for this stage that I had to learn from experience:

• Learn two contrasting contemporary monologues, two contrasting classical monologues, and a piece of verse beforehand. This will generally cover any possible monologue you will be asked for. Trying to learn a new monologue for every audition will burn you out. You’ll end up forgetting them because (let’s be honest) you won’t have enough time or brainpower for it. Learning monologues early ensures you have time to know them inside and out, and fully familiarise yourself with your characters.
• Schedule Zoom call auditions at a time when there is either nobody in your house, or only the people who understand what you are doing. Zoom call auditions are the worst. Somehow, my dog always managed to bark at something and I seemed to forget everything, including my name. Something about having the panel on my phone looking at my bedroom wall really put me off my game, but everyone is different and you may prefer this type of audition. If you’re still in school, it might be worth doing the call at the drama department at school, or in an empty space during a free period.
• You will get used to it. Which means you will get better at it the more you do. Try to schedule the auditions you care about less earlier than the ones you care about the most. That way, you can use them as practice in order to ace the ones you’re really passionate about. This may not always be possible, but it’s something I wish I had done.
• Try to have a set up in your house that you can put up easily with no fuss and no stress. I just used a blank wall, an old easel I had to stand up my phone, and my bedroom lamp for lighting. It’s that easy. The lamp needs to be quite strong, especially if you are filming after school when it’s dark. I did resort to standing my phone up on a stack of books before I found the easel, but I would recommend investing in a tripod because you will need it later in your career.
• Remember: the people at the school know how difficult it is. They want it that way because they want the best of the best.

This next piece of advice is so common I didn’t take it seriously until I actually understood it: be authentic. Don’t bother about whether or not you are a good fit for them. Worry about whether they are a good fit for you. You are spending your time and money on these auditions and on this school. So be yourself, because if you aren’t you won’t get into the right school for you (and you will not enjoy the next three years of your life.) ‘Being yourself’ is such an overused phrase and it can be so difficult to find out what it means for you. Personally, I journal. It gives my brain space to breathe and allows me to discover what I like and don’t like about the world. Apply ‘likes’ and ‘don’t likes’ to the drama school audition process and be picky. It’s your degree, your career.

Second Audition Round

The next round(s) of auditions vary from school to school. Actually, if you don’t know which school you want to go to, the audition process can be a really good indicator of how the teaching will work. So start being critical of their process and attitude, and how the school fits your ‘likes’ and ‘don’t likes’. This could include how easy you find it to understand their instructions, or what kind of speeches they ask for. For the school I focused on, this round was in-person, which was a relief. But drama school auditions are very different to normal auditions.

I like to be anti-social in auditions. I plug my headphones in, listen to music, stretch, and run through my lines and annotations (I use the Ivana Chubbuck Technique.) However, at drama school auditions, they want to see how well you get on with the other applicants. Being anti-social will not give you the best outcome. This is another reason why learning your monologues as early as possible will help, as it will mean you can socialise without worrying too much about messing up your lines. Practicing to others will help too, and if you have no drama friends then make self-tapes. Practice, practice, practice until the characters BECOME you and until you cannot mess up.

The Dreaded Cold Read

At my audition, we were given a cold read: a script to perform without having seen it first, often with little or no character description. I would say most drama school applicants haven’t had much experience with cold reads, except from maybe at a drama class. The only advice I can give here is to use your imagination to create a backstory and a personality to your character based on clues you have in the script.

I spent a few minutes at the beginning of the day choosing the script that most resonated with me on that day. It’s best to choose a character similar to yourself. Some have specific race or hair colour or gender, but other than that choose the one that most represents your comfort zone in acting. There will be plenty of time later to be brave, but now is the time to show you at your best. 

Once I’d chosen, I read through it a couple of times, trying to pick out clues about my character that I could use to give her a personality, motives and thought processes. Again, I use the Chubbuck Technique to delve into the character. It helps you do more than just ‘acting’; it helps you to understand the character, their objective and how to attach them to your own life experiences. This will set you apart from other drama school applicants and show the panel you are capable of creating a meaningful piece of art. It’s also helpful in cold reads, because it means that you can pull the words around a little and still keep the momentum of the scene going. After spending no more than half an hour on this (got to get socialising), put the script in your bag if you’re allowed. Sneak in a cheeky run-through whenever you have a break. This will make you more familiar with the script, which, for a cold read, is a definite bonus.

The Interview Section

Then the interview section. This applies to almost every drama school out there. If you can find people who have auditioned at the school before you, ask them to tell you what it was like and what they wanted to talk about. For my school, they asked me Deep Questions. Thankfully I knew someone that had auditioned the week before, and I hounded him for information about the whole process, which meant I was prepared to be asked Deep Questions. This was the hardest part of the audition process for me, because I think I put on an ‘audition persona’ to fake confidence when I’m feeling nervous. I was so tempted to look up at the ceiling. Don’t let yourself. Take time to think about the answers, you’re not being timed. Plant your feet and ground yourself. Look the person in the eye. You are there for a reason. Don’t let that opportunity slide away. You’ve got this.

Something that is helpful to remember is exactly what drama schools are looking for in applicants. Funnily enough, they’re not necessarily looking for good actors—crazy, I know! They’re looking for good students: people who can be shaped and influenced by their teaching style. Nothing closes down a panel’s opinion of an applicant quicker than realising they won’t be taught or told they’re wrong. So when you’re sitting there show your positive attitude and willingness to be challenged and changed. If you’re auditioning for drama school for the right reasons, that shouldn’t be a stretch.

Conclusion

A big part of getting in to the school you want is to be human. Find little jokes you could make, or point out things everyone else is too nervous to point out. This will make you feel more authentic, more relaxed, as well as relaxing for other people in the room. Ask people to come and get a Tesco’s meal deal with you at lunch, or go on the hunt for an ice lolly even if it’s freezing cold. I made a friend because we couldn’t find Twister lollies anywhere in the city. We’re still friends now!

Finally, I will leave you with the words of a famous scar-faced lion we all know and hate… “Be prepared!” (If you don’t know that’s from The Lion King, don’t bother applying for drama school.) Do your reading on the school. Have a reason you want to apply for each one. Learn. Your. Monologues. And make sure to plan your travel in advance.

Break a leg!

By guest contributor Daisy Jaeger.

The post How I got into Drama School in the UK appeared first on StageMilk.

Whilst there are plenty of fantastic scenes and characters in this play, the monologues are few and far between. Being a comedy, the play is largely about wit and wordplay between characters, and as such there are only a few moments where the characters are given space alone on stage to speak for an extended period of time. That being said, of the few monologues there are, they are CRACKERS. The monologues below are some of the most famous in Shakespeare, and are top choices for auditions for their high stakes, clarity, ‘in the moment’ given circumstances and comedy.

Twelfth Night Characters

Viola – One of Shakespeares Best and Funniest Heroines

The protagonist of this story, Viola, has had to abandon her past life and adopt a new identity here in Illyria – she now dresses as a man and goes by the name Cesario. This is due to her being shipwrecked on the island at the start of the play. In this shipwreck, Viola’s brother Sebastian was lost, and Viola assumes he has died. In the wake of this tragedy, Cesario has pledged her servitude to the Duke Orsino, and in his service Cesario assists with the process of wooing Lady Olivia.

Malvolio – Shakespeares Funniest Villain

Malvolio is the butler/ servingman to the lady Olivia. He is stern and curt, and wants nothing to do with the mischief of the drunk and raucous nobility of Olivia’s house. He does, however, aspire to one day be noble himself. He wishes to command respect. This lower status and stern attitude makes him the butt of the jokes of Toby Belch and Sir Andrew.

Sebastian – The Little Brother to Big Bad Viola

Sebastian is the brother of Viola, who like her assumes that his sister has drowned in the shipwreck at the start of the play. Washing ashore on another part of Illyria, Sebastian’s journey sees him travelling through the land with Antonia to assist him, only to be caught in the bewildering web of the play in the climatic finale of the story. Since his sister is dressed like a man, they both look incredibly alike. The characters of Illyria start to mistake Sebastian for Cesario, throwing Sebastian into encounters of love and combat which he was not expecting.

Best Twelfth Night Monologues

Viola (Act 2, Scene 2)

Cesario (Viola) has just visited Oliva for the first time on Orsino’s behalf. It wouldn’t be Shakespeare if a romance didn’t get complicated: Olivia, (who is not interested in Orsino) has been quite taken by Cesario, and sends her servant Malvolio after her with a token of her appreciation, a ring, which she hopes will force Cesario to return to her. In this monologue, Viola pieces together the story unfolding around her, realising that her manly performance has charmed Olivia. Viola is now stuck between a rock and a hard place!

I left no ring with her: what means this lady?
Fortune forbid my outside have not charm’d her!
She made good view of me; indeed, so much,
That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,
For she did speak in starts distractedly.
She loves me, sure; the cunning of her passion
Invites me in this churlish messenger.
None of my lord’s ring! why, he sent her none.
I am the man: if it be so, as ‘tis,
Poor lady, she were better love a dream.
Disguise, I see, thou art a wickedness,
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.
How easy is it for the proper-false
In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!
Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we!
For such as we are made of, such we be.
How will this fadge? my master loves her dearly;
And I, poor monster, fond as much on him;
And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.
What will become of this? As I am man,
My state is desperate for my master’s love;
As I am woman,–now alas the day!–
What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!
O time! thou must untangle this, not I;
It is too hard a knot for me to untie!

Malvolio (Act 3, Scene 4)

The subplot of Twelfth Night concerns an elaborate prank played on Olivia’s servingman, Malvolio. The prank is conducted by a number of characters of Olivia’s house, including Toby Belch, Sir Andrew and Maria. In this monologue, the audience witnesses Malviolo being ‘hooked’ by the bait. Maria has written a letter in Olivia’s handwriting, intended to get Malvolio to come to the cryptic conclusion that Olivia is in love with him.

M, O, A, I; this simulation is not as the former: and
yet, to crush this a little, it would bow to me, for
every one of these letters are in my name. Soft!
here follows prose.

Reads

‘If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I
am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some
are born great, some achieve greatness, and some
have greatness thrust upon ‘em. Thy Fates open
their hands; let thy blood and spirit embrace them;
and, to inure thyself to what thou art like to be,
cast thy humble slough and appear fresh. Be
opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants; let
thy tongue tang arguments of state; put thyself into
the trick of singularity: she thus advises thee
that sighs for thee. Remember who commended thy
yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever
cross-gartered: I say, remember. Go to, thou art
made, if thou desirest to be so; if not, let me see
thee a steward still, the fellow of servants, and
not worthy to touch Fortune’s fingers. Farewell.
She that would alter services with thee,
THE FORTUNATE-UNHAPPY.’
Daylight and champaign discovers not more: this is
open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors,
I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross
acquaintance, I will be point-devise the very man.
I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade
me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady
loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of
late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered;
and in this she manifests herself to my love, and
with a kind of injunction drives me to these habits
of her liking. I thank my stars I am happy. I will
be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and
cross-gartered, even with the swiftness of putting
on. Jove and my stars be praised! Here is yet a
postscript.

Reads

‘Thou canst not choose but know who I am. If thou
entertainest my love, let it appear in thy smiling;
thy smiles become thee well; therefore in my
presence still smile, dear my sweet, I prithee.’
Jove, I thank thee: I will smile; I will do
everything that thou wilt have me.

Sebastian (Act 4, Scene 3)

Having arrived in the same part of Illyria as Cesario, Sebastian has been flung into the midst of the climax of this story. Toby Belch has mistaken him for Cesario and assaulted him, and Olivia (who is in love with Cesario) has come to his rescue. Unlike Cesario, who has denied Olivia’s advances, Sebastian is more than happy to welcome them, and in this monologue we see Sebastian trying to make sense of his happy fortune.

This is the air; that is the glorious sun;
This pearl she gave me, I do feel’t and see’t;
And though ‘tis wonder that enwraps me thus,
Yet ‘tis not madness. Where’s Antonio, then?
I could not find him at the Elephant:
Yet there he was; and there I found this credit,
That he did range the town to seek me out.
His counsel now might do me golden service;
For though my soul disputes well with my sense,
That this may be some error, but no madness,
Yet doth this accident and flood of fortune
So far exceed all instance, all discourse,
That I am ready to distrust mine eyes
And wrangle with my reason that persuades me
To any other trust but that I am mad
Or else the lady’s mad; yet, if ‘twere so,
She could not sway her house, command her followers,
Take and give back affairs and their dispatch
With such a smooth, discreet and stable bearing
As I perceive she does: there’s something in’t
That is deceiveable. But here the lady comes.

Conclusion

Relish the wonderful words and circumstances of these monologues. They are wonderful to act and require real skill and commitment from the actor. Though they are comic in nature and will make the audience laugh, for the characters the situations are incredibly serious. Treat them as such and you’re sure to have the audience in stitches, laughing along with your performance!

For more incredible Shakespeare monologues check out

Male Shakespeare Monologues / Female Shakespeare Monologues

The post Best Twelfth Night Monologues appeared first on StageMilk.

Actors need to learn how to take direction, as this skill set will improve their performance and ability to operate as a member of a team on a film set or in a rehearsal space. Taking direction requires communicative skills, the ability to be flexible, conducting research around the director’s own work/process and integrating notes into your acting. The final point can be particularly challenging—nobody likes to think they’re doing a bad job! But notes are there to make you look good, not remind you of your failings.

There are many different viewpoints on this topic. Given how personal it is to take direction on your performance, I’d say every on of us in the acting game experiences it slightly differently. What I’ve compiled in this article are seven helpful reminders that get me through those tough days on the job, as well as some perspective from the other side of the argument… But before we jump in, I want to turn straightaway to a professional Director, to give us some initial thoughts on the topic:

From the Director’s Perspective

First off, let’s hear from the people actually giving the notes—the source of the problem lurking behind the monitor (just kidding, directors!) I spoke to Alex on the StageMilk team, who works as a professional director across theatre and film. He had the following things to say on the subject:

“This is a really important thing to consider as an actor. To get the doom-and-gloom stuff out of the way first: yes, you’re unlikely to work with a director again if you can’t take direction. This not because you’re not getting the scene right or asking for multiple takes, it’s because our notes are about keeping your performance consistent with the rest of the story, which is so much bigger than either of us. At the very least, think about the other actors you work with: if you’re not taking direction while the rest of the team is, you’re going to look out of step with the others. And this leads to good actors delivering stinking performances.

“Now for the optimistic bit: we get that acting is hard, and we respect how hard you’re working even on the days when nothing seems to be going right. What’s more, directors aren’t perfect. If there’s something that’s not working, and we can see you trying to work with us, we will usually do what we can to help convey this better to you, or even change our approach. This kind of communication can only be found in trust and respect. And that’s a two-way street. Finally, the reason we give direction is to make you look like the goddam stars you are. Trust us when we say our priority is to make you look incredible. Everybody wins!”

7 Ways to take Better Direction as an Actor

So we are all on board—actors and directors alike—taking direction is very important! Well, today I want to outline some thoughts on how we can improve in this area (and hopefully make some directors very happy during our careers):

#1 Listen (Understand the Director’s Vision)

Communication is key. Every director works differently; some are really open to your choices and others will be quite didactic and have a crystallised vision of what they want. This may leave you with absolute autonomy over your acting choices, or feeling like a glorified puppet. Most directors I find sit somewhere in the middle, but you have to be ready for all types. The key is to really listen and be responsive to their directing style. There are few truly great directors, but there are many very, very good ones. The sooner you let go of your own expectations of what a director should be and start working collaboratively with them, the better. You must be perceptive and try your best to understand their vision. This comes down to being incredibly present on the day, and listening, instead of imposing.

#2 Develop your Flexibility

As you continue to develop your skills as an actor, always make sure that flexibility remains a key tenant in your work. Walking into auditions or rehearsal rooms with a rigid idea of how you will perform will not serve you. Of course, you should make choices, but if you cling steadfastly to them, you will continually frustrate directors. Many actors see acting as a process of getting it “right”. This is rarely the case and being flexible and playful is really the way to success. So always try to develop your flexibility as an artist. This is something you should work on in formal training such as in an acting class, but also just in your own time. Work on scripts every week and see if you can do them faster, slower, in an accent, more high status, more vulnerably—you get the idea. It is simply a skill and the more your practice this skill the better you get.

#3 Consume Content like Mad!

A lot of direction is centred around references. There is a shorthand when working with directors and often you will hear direction such as “This character is a bit like John Cleese in Fawlty Towers!” or “We want a cringe comedy feel: think The Office?” This is why it’s so important to watch and read widely as an actor. Not only will watching content be a source of inspiration for your work, it will mean you can draw on the same cultural milieu as the directors you are working with. If your director has made content that is already publicly available, consider watching their past work as well. They probably don’t want you pestering them about their CV on the shoot day, but it might help you determine the kind of style they use, and get a feel for the tone of their work.

#4 Avoid Rigid Preparation

It amazes me that actors will just drill a monologue or scene over and over again, getting ingrained in the same choices. If you are about to do an audition or go on set, then practice in as many different ways as you can. Use your creativity to consider possible interpretations of the script and pre-empt that. Play with your character, and see if you can practice the script with all these different interpretations in mind. Having practiced this in advance, you will be much more calm and relaxed if the director does throw notes at you (and seem all the more brilliant when you nail a choice they just came up with, but that you actually prepared for!)

#5 Clarify Notes

Don’t be afraid to clarify notes. This is actually something Alex hints at in his above comments. Often, in our bid to look professional, we dive in before we have really understood what is being asked. Always make sure you really understand the notes that are being given. Sometimes just talking it out, or clarifying it back to the director, can get you both on the same page. However, in clarifying the notes, do your best to not be combative: it’s generally unhelpful to question the director as to why and having lengthy debates over every note can quickly frustrate the process. Try to avoid fighting back and always endeavour to make their suggestions work.

#6 Integrate the Notes

You may be able to take a note, but can you keep it? One common frustration for directors is actors disregarding or forgetting notes that they have already been given. Always find time to properly integrate the ideas. If you are in a rehearsal process, I would always set aside 10-15 minutes after finishing to review all the notes and make sure you have solidified them before moving on. Simply doing a bit of revision can go a long way.

#7 Always Stay Professional

There will undoubtedly be times where you and the director just can’t get on the same page. But if you remain open and earnestly endeavour to work together, you will maintain your grace and professionalism. Practice good film set etiquette. Try with all your might to not slip into resentment, or passive aggression. Always have integrity and try to keep a positive outlook. Eventually, if you can persist, something will click and you will find a way forward. Not every partnership between actor and director will be Spielberg and Hanks (sometimes they’re Herzog and Kinski). But I believe even the most creatively or personally disconnected duos can maintain respect and still produce a good end result.

Conclusion

It will take time to improve this skill set, but if you can get better at taking direction, it will benefit you throughout your career. It will also make the creative process so much more enjoyable. There is nothing worse than feeling stuck as an actor, and having the confidence that you can adapt to any direction will allow you to do much better work in all areas of your acting. Just keep reminding yourself that taking direction is a skill, which is to say it can be learned and improved. And if you’re looking for a particular challenge, you could even give directing a go yourself—just to see how it feels on the other side of the camera!

In the end, it comes down to communication and respect. So talk with your director, learn how to work with them effectively and remember that you’re all in this together.

The post How to Improve at Taking Direction appeared first on StageMilk.

This actually happened to me last week. Out of nowhere I was offered a role!!!

This sounds like a great thing, however, it was really difficult to work out whether to say “Yes” or “No”. I realised I didn’t have a great system in place to help me decide what to do. As actors, I think it’s important to establish a system early on and have a clear roadmap in place to help steer our acting careers. Knowing what we want, and what we value, will help guide us and make more empowered decisions. So here are some things to consider:

#1 Say YES to Everything (Early in your Career)

Before we look at how to decide when to say “NO”, I want to share some really helpful career advice. Years ago, I interviewed a very successful theatre director Lee Lewis who said that the thing that established her career was saying yes to everything early on. For years, she said “Yes!” and worked on anything and everything that came her way. When you are still early in your acting career, you are in an accumulation phase where your goal is to make as many connections and get as much experience as possible. You are a sponge! So, if you are at this stage, saying yes and just getting loads of experience is a great way forward.

The caveat is you must be always prioritise your safety. Saying yes to everything will mean saying yes to some unpaid and low-paying work. Always research the team and check that it aligns with your values. Make sure you are working with a reputable team and that you are not being taken for a ride. Finally, listen to your mind and body when it comes to burnout: you can choose when you’re at capacity, but not when burnout will start to affect you. Get ahead of it and avoid it at all costs.

#2 Define your Values

It is vital as an actor to set out your values. As you navigate a career, these will be tested again and again. I encourage you to reflect on why you are pursuing acting and what you wish to achieve with your work. I don’t mean your goals (we will look at those next). I mean deep down: why are you doing this? And what do you want to contribute? Knowing what is important to you and solidifying your personal values will be a lodestar during your career.

You may then decide to avoid promoting certain products in commercial work, or avoid certain stories that you feel are not in alignment with your values. Investigating who you really want to be as an artist will help you decide what to audition for, and then accept.

#3 Define your Goals

After you have a solid understanding of your values, the next considerations are your goals. I see many actors wasting their energy spreading themselves very thin, desperate for any role. Your goals should be laser-like in their focus.

If you want to be a screen actor, getting experience in front of the camera is paramount. So if you get an opportunity to shoot a film and be on-set for a week, it may still be worth taking for the experience even if the script is less than stellar. Furthermore, doing a six-month school theatre tour may not be the best option for you. It sounds so simple, but it’s amazing how lost we can get as actors. If you have clear goals at the outset you can then submit for jobs, audition for jobs and accept jobs that all coalesce around your goals.

More on goal-setting for actors. 

#4 Great Writing

“Follow the well written word and it will not fail you.” – Bryan Cranston

If there is a single piece of acting advice that helps guide me, it’s this. If the writing is good, you will look good. The end. Great writing is the support system that underpins all great acting. Assuming a project is in alignment with my goals and values, this becomes my main consideration.

Now, great writing is different for everyone. It’s a personal thing. But put simply, you need to resonate with the writing and feel excited to perform it. If it feels clunky, difficult and awkward, then in my experience that is exactly how it will feel (and look) in performance.

#5 Great Team

Sometimes the writing underwhelms, but it’s worth taking a job to work with an awesome team. There is a chance you might be missing something in the script and once you understand the director’s vision it all clicks into place. If the script doesn’t immediately grab you, always aim to research the team and see if you can have a further discussion with the director. Even if the script isn’t as strong as you would like, if you really trust a director, you are in safe hands, and chances are it will be a great gig.

I will always make this a big part of my decision making process, and I encourage you to do the same.

#6 Career Progression

You might have noticed that this list didn’t start with career progression. That’s because I believe the best way to progress your career is to be good. In marketing, they say “word of mouth” is the most powerful form of advertising. It’s also true in acting. When great actors are coming through the ranks, people talk and get excited. So doing great work will be what helps you progress. If you are offered a big role, but you don’t resonate with the script or creative team, you may get your break but will it really showcase you at your best? I have seen so many actors accept roles thinking they will get famous, but instead they fall flat because they didn’t shine in the role.

Wait – STOP! I am not saying to text your agent that you don’t want that Netflix job. The reality is a big gig is a BIG GIG. If you get the opportunity to level up your career and have a swing at a huge opportunity, you probably have to take it. But making the decision purely on the basis of the paycheque or size of the production is not a guaranteed path. If opportunities are abundant, always pick the one you connect with more.

#7 Money

Last, but certainly not least, is money. We are artists and we love what we do, but we also have value. Real, tangible value. And for most of us our goal is for acting to sustain us, or at least be part of our professional life. Money is therefore always a consideration. Most actors are not particularly excited to shoot a new commercial, but booking a great commercial gig might translate into 3-6 months of living expenses, a flight to LA, a year of acting classes, new headshots etc. Remember you are a small business and money gives you the opportunity to reinvest in your career. So, yes, money is important.

But even though it’s very important, the reason I have put this last on my list is because all the above considerations must come first. You should never take money or be tempted by money if it goes against your values.

I hope after reading this article you will be inundated with offers for amazing acting roles! However, whether it happens right away, or in a couple of years, I encourage you to assess what you really want from your career and what it is you value. As actors, we can sometimes feel like puppets in the industry, but we are NOT. We are the empowered storytellers and we have more autonomy than we may think. It’s your career and your life. Don’t ever underestimate that.

The post When to say NO to an Acting Role! appeared first on StageMilk.

Updated Feb 3, 2024 

Context

More important than when the play begins, is what has happened before. Orlando is the youngest son of Sir Roland De Boys, his other two sons being Oliver, the older, and Jaques the middle. They live and work in the Duchy of Duke Senior, in France, and are a part of the aristocracy and inner circle. And all seems well, as far as we know, until one day Sir Roland De Boys dies leaving his sons as soul heirs to his estate, or so he thinks. Soon after Duke Senior is usurped by his younger brother Duke Frederick and banished from the Duchy to the Forest of Arden, where he and his bestest buds must go and never come back, or die trying. Meanwhile back at Camp De Boys, Oliver, the oldest son and soul executor of his Fathers will has I fulfilled his Fathers wishes of sending Jaques to school to be educated, but has not been so generous to Orlando, instead forcing him to work in the fields, feed the animals, and overall work as peasant on their lands. Understandably this makes Orlando a little mad. Orlando knows that his Father requested in his will that he send Orlando to be educated to and is ready to take what’s rightfully his by force if he has to. In an effort to vent his frustrations and make some sense of all this he turns to his family’s servant, and his oldest friend and says…

Original Text

As I remember, Adam, it was upon this
fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand
crowns, and, as thou sayst, charged my brother on his
blessing to breed me well; and there begins my sadness.
My brother Jaques he keeps at school and report speaks
goldenly of his profit. For my part, he keeps me
rustically at home or, to speak more properly, stays me
here at home unkept; for call you that keeping, for a
gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the
stalling of an ox? His horses are bred better, for besides
that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught
their manage and to that end riders dearly hired; but I,
his brother, gain nothing under him but growth, for the
which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound
to him as I. Besides this nothing that he so plentifully
gives me, the something that nature gave me his
countenance seems to take from me. He lets me feed
with his hinds, bars me the place of a brother and, as
much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my
education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me, and the
spirit of my father, which I think is within me, begins
to mutiny against this servitude. I will no longer endure
it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it.

Unfamiliar Language

But
mere
1000 crown
coin [usually showing a monarch’s crown] English value: 5 shilllings in a crown. And 1 pound is 4 crowns.
So this is 250 pounds – in modern money $25,000 – not enough to live off. 
charge
order, command, enjoin
breed
raise, bring up, support
school
old form: schoole
university
report
rumour, gossip, hearsay
profit
progress, proficiency, improvement
rustically
like a rustic, in a countrified way
unkept
neglected
goldenly
excellently, splendidly
stay
detain, confine, keep
stalling
stall accommodation, living quarters
manage
management, handling, control [especially of a horse, as a result of training] fair
healthy, sound, fit
countenance
demeanour, bearing, manner
hinds
servant, domestic, worker, farm hands
mines
undermines, sap, subvert
place
precedence, proper place
gentility
nobility, good birth

Resources on money to help you with the first line: 

Money Value in Shakespeare’s Time 

Value of a Crown Shakespeare Birthplace Trust 

Modern Translation

As I recall, Adam, that’s exactly why my father left me a mere thousand crowns in his will, and, as you say, commanded my brother to give his word that he would give me an education. And that is the start of my sadness.

My brother, Jaques, he has sent off to school, and by all accounts he’s flourishing from his education. But me, he keeps me at home in the country, or to be more blunt, keeps me at home neglected. For would you call this a fair way to bring up a gentleman of my birth? Whose reality differs not from how they raise cattle? His horses are raised better than me. For, besides the fact, that they are fed well, they’re taught how to behave, and they have the best trainers that money can buy.

But for me, his own brother, I gain nothing except that I grow strong from all this manual labour. For which, flies who buzz around his horse poo, are as much in-debt to him as I am. And besides this absolute nothing that he so “generously” gives me, the one thing that life gave me, he takes away from me. His whole being and cruel way of raising me, robs me of any prospect of a better life,

He makes me eat with his servants, doesn’t allow me what’s owed me as his brother, and with every chance he gets, undermines my noble status by not educating me. This is what’s upsetting me, Adam. And my fathers spirit, which I am sure is within me, is starting to rebel against this servitude. I won’t take it anymore. Although I don’t yet know how to stop it just yet.

Notes on Performance

So, as I always say, the most important thing when performing any Shakespeare monologue is understanding the context. Take a look at the brief context I’ve provided up top, and allow that to inform your performance.

Now more specifically when it comes to Orlando, understand that when we meet Orlando, he is at his worst, the beginning of the play is his rock bottom and the only way he can go is up. So allow yourself to find all of the ugly sides of this monologue and character and allow them to come through in performance.

Lastly it’s important to note that it’s implied in the script (simply in the way it’s been written) that we come into this conversation late. We’ve not heard what sparked it, and we’ll never know. But rather than letting that bring us down, we can take that as an opportunity to explore our imaginations and find our own moment before. So feel free to begin this monologue with a mountain of energy and drive!

Here’s a photo of me performing the opening monologue in my first professional production: 

The post Orlando Monologue (Act 1 Scene 1) appeared first on StageMilk.

Claudius, this far into the play, has been presented as a fairly stable character. Shakespearian scholar Harold Bloom commends Claudius’ politics, and remarks that he is in fact a terrific leader. The play is turned on its head in Act 3, scene 3, however. Ambiguity is burnt away and the truth is momentarily revealed to the audience as Claudius confesses his guilt to them. Hamlet has been told the truth by the ghost. Claudius is in fact responsible for the murder of his Father, and in this speech we see how deep his guilt and angst goes. 

Context

As with any monologue, it’s best to read the play in its entirety to understand the context behind it. For simplicity’s sake, however, here are the vital pieces of information you need to know to be able to understand and start your work on this monologue.

Firstly, this confession has come as a result of Hamlet’s plan to ‘catch the conscience of the King’ by performing a play depicting the scene of the murder of Hamlet’s father. The Mousetrap was the name Hamlet gave to the play, and in its final moments the murderer character Lucianus pours poison into King Gonzalo’s ear, (the very same way Hamlet’s Father was murdered in his Orchard). This depiction shocks Claudius, causing him to get up out of his chair and storm out of the room, calling for light. 

The horror of the depicted scene sends Claudius into a flurry of action: deciding to immediately ship Hamlet off to England for execution. After this flurry of activity Claudius is left alone by his attendants and advisors, and from him erupts this desperate confession to the audience.

It’s also worth noting that this confession is in fact a reveal to the audience. The only other glimmer of a confession we have heard from Claudius was a few scenes prior leading into the ‘nunnery scene’ between Hamlet and Ophelia. In this moment Claudius shares an aside with the audience, stating, “How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience” and a moment from Polonius about the devil and corruption. Apart from that small aside, this confession is a revolution for the audience’s perspective of several of the characters in the play, including Claudius, Hamlet and Gertrude. 

Let’s look at the text.

Original Text

O, my offence is rank: it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t,
A brother’s murder. Pray can I not:
Though inclination be as sharp as will,
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent
And like a man to double business bound
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother’s blood?
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what’s in prayer but this twofold force,
– To be forestalled ere we come to fall
Or pardoned being down? Then I’ll look up.
My fault is past. But O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn: “Forgive me my foul murder”?
That cannot be, since I am still possessed
Of those effects for which I did the murder,
My crown, mine own ambition and my Queen.
May one be pardoned and retain th’offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence’s gilded hand may shove by justice,
And oft ’tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law; but ’tis not so above:
There is no shuffling, there the action lies
In his true nature, and we ourselves compelled
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults
To give in evidence. What then? What rests?
Try what repentance can – what can it not?
Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?
O wretched state, O bosom black as death,
O limed soul that struggling to be free
Art more engaged. Help, angels, make assay.
Bow, stubborn knees, and heart with strings of steel
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe.
All may be well.

Unfamiliar Language

Primal eldest curse: Biblical reference to the story of Cain and Able
Visage: a person’s face, with reference to the form or proportions of the features.
Twofold: having two parts or elements.
Forestalled: prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking advance action.
Assay: Effort
Sinews: a piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone; a tendon or ligament.

Modern Translation

Oh, my crime is festering and rotten, it’s smell reaches up to heaven.
My crime has the curse of Cain on it. A brother’s murder.
I can’t pray, even though I desperately want to, the strength of my guilt defeats the strength of my intention.
And, like someone who can’t decide which of two actions to make, I stand here unable to do anything.
So if I am guilty of this crime, is there not enough forgiveness in the heavens to make me free of it?
Isn’t that what God’s mercy is for?
And doesn’t praying do two things at once? Prevent us from sinning in the first place and pardon us when we repent?
If this is the case, I’ll look to the heavens. My fault is in the past.
Oh, but what type of prayer can save me now?
“Forgive me for my foul murder”?
I can’t ask that, because I am still benefitting from the things I did the murder for:
My crown, my ambition and my queen.
Can I be pardoned and keep those benefits?
In this corrupted world it is possible to avoid justice through bribery with the rewards of the crime.
But this isn’t the case in heaven. There is no corruption there.
Up there all our crimes are judged exactly as they are worth.
So what can I do? What is there left for me to do? I will see what repentance can do for me.
What can’t it do? Yet what can it do when I cannot repent?
Oh what a dismal situation I’m in. My heart is as black as death.
My soul is so fused with sin that even as it struggles to be free it increases its bindings.
Help, angels! Make an effort here!
Bow, you stubborn knees, and my heart – as strong and stubborn as steel be soft as a newborn baby.
Let’s hope everything will be ok.

In Performance

As we have already noted, Claudius is a good politician. To play him as the evil vice-like villain of this story would be to diminish his sophistication. He’s not sitting on his throne with his fingers lightly touching whispering “Excellent” like a Shakespearean Mr. Burns. As Shakespeare does wonderfully, this soliloquy allows us to both condemn and empathise with Claudius’ situation. The audience now has clarity: he did in fact murder Hamlet’s Father. Right. So by the laws of the story, being a revenge tragedy, he is doomed to die. But in the same way that Shakespeare messes with the role of the true revenge hero in Hamlet, so too does he with Claudius. He is repentant. He feels guilt. He also alludes to one of his motives being the love he had for Gertrude, now his queen. None of these factors excuse Claudius’ heinous actions, but to condemn him as an actor playing him is to risk oversimplification of the role and soliloquy.

This is a soliloquy at it’s finest. Claudius until now has had little to no private connection with the audience, and just like a real confession Claudius responds to his moment of isolation and privacy with the audience with an outpouring. This soliloquy needs to erupt from him like a leak in a pressurised canister. 

What’s also worth noting about this speech is what Caludius’ primary concern is. Interestingly, Claudius does not seem to be concerned with the fact that Hamlet (or one of the Players) knows in accurate detail how King Hamlet was murdered. Instead, Claudius confesses primarily his guilt and inability to repent through prayer in his soliloquy.

This soliloquy is nothing without the actors’ clear and powerfully pursued objective. Claudius needs to repent. He needs to be alleviated from the guilt that he feels but he is drowning in the obstacles which prevent him attaining that. As an actor, the objective and factors outside the body and mind are the key to unlocking this soliloquy. Though Claudius is trying to free himself from what he is experiencing internally, it is what lies outside of Claudius where he searches for the answer. The actor runs a risk when this speech becomes too introspective. To use Declan Donnellan’s terminology – look at the amount of Targets which exist for Claudius: The audience, God, Heaven, The memory and guilt of his offence, his position, his Queen, Angels, even his stubborn knees. Each of these factors exist outside the mind for Claudius and so too should they for the actor. In each of those targets is a wellspring of energy to be tapped into.

Conclusion

Shakespeare was a visionary when it came to writing ‘three dimensional’ characters; characters who are flawed, contradictory and ambiguous. Though Claudius may not be as three dimensional as Hamlet, or at least as well explored in speech and text as Hamlet, he too is one of these three dimensional figures. He is both strong and weak, powerful and helpless, noble and villainous. The task and joy for the actor is to embrace these contradictions and breathe life into them for the audience to witness and pass judgement upon. Like all villainous characters, we must resist the temptation to condemn them ourselves (as actors). To do this is to restrict our ability to access and understand the motives and truths of the character, which are all crucial for our ability to play them on stage.

The post King Claudius Monologue (Act 3, Scene 3) appeared first on StageMilk.

As we looked at in the change it up acting tip, directors love actors to be creative and make offers in the rehearsal room. They also love actors who move rehearsals forward, not backwards.

Due to time constraints, when rehearsing for the stage, you often only scratch the surface of a scene the first time you work on it. Directors are on a tight schedule, and with theatre productions having shorter and shorter rehearsal periods you will often have to move on before the scene has really ‘cracked open’. Even when you have an extensive rehearsal period, you are only likely to visit a scene 2-3 times before you begin doing runs of the play.

It is therefore crucial that when you come back to the rehearsal room for a second time the scene has improved. If you were on book (still using a script) next time, make sure your lines are learnt. If the director planted a few ideas or character suggestions, show them that you have thought about what they’ve said and implemented some of their ideas—not by saying you have, but by showing that you have.

Try to get an idea of what the director wants when you first work on a scene so that you can try to move towards that vision throughout the rehearsal process. If you come back to a scene without having worked on it privately (perhaps having forgotten blocking, detail, or lines) it is likely it would be your last experience working with the director.

Tip: after working on a scene, if you can immediately write down your blocking and any notes, that can be really useful. Often we think we’ve nailed a scene, and perhaps we have, but if you don’t reflect on why then the next day you might be back to square one. If your scene partner is free, have a chat or go work on the scene with them. Honestly doing a small bit of revision is so helpful in solidifying your work.

At the end of the day, every actor has their own process. Just make sure the process moves you and the play forward, not back.

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Initial Thoughts

#1 Titania is a queen.  One of the great challenges of Shakespeare is to step up to the grandeur of the text and characters. Titania is a perfect example of this, and approaching this as “realism” simply won’t work. Not only do you have to play with status as Titania, as she is a Queen, you also have to think about the otherworldly quality of the character. What is to have such power?

#2 Never go full fairy!!! A major challenge with Oberon, Puck and Titania is how far do you go with the fairy element. There are some productions that disregard this entirely and others majorly focus on this element. I am not just talking about costume, but also gesturing and vocal choices. Consider how you play this side of Titania. I certainly think this magical element needs to be acknowledged, but I would recommend still always aiming for truth in the performing of it.

#3 Language is tough. This is one of the toughest monologues in the play. The text is so dense and there are a lot of images to unpack. You need to really pick this one a part and make sure that you understand every word.

#4 Imagination. As you can see from this text, it involves some huge imagery. Everything from the “pelting rivers” to the “angry winter”. It’s like listening to a national geographic podcast! So not only do you need to understand every word you have to make sure the ideas are crystal clear to you. If you see them, we see them!

#5 Keep it personal. I have listed above just how much you have to fire up your imagination to make this monologue work. But remember that you don’t want to get too lost in the images. She isn’t reading Oberon a poem, instead she is using these images and her words to cut him down and win the argument. So keep it personal. I see too many actors getting lost in the imagery, and not focusing enough on the argument with Oberon.

READ MORE: How to Act Shakespeare

What has just happened?

Act 2 Scene 1 is the first time we are introduced to the world of the fairies within the play. Puck has just introduced what is happening, and he has set the scene for the feud between the Titania and “her jealous Oberon – the king of the fairies. These two have fallen out over a changeling boy that Oberon “wants for his henchman”, but Titania will not surrender him. Like with most fights, however, we get the sense that there is more to it than meets the eye. Oberon before this speech accuses Titania of cheating on him with Theseus, and here is her powerful response. Similar to Hermione in The Winter’s Tale she is standing up proudly again a jealous partner, and boy does she put Oberon in his place!

These are the forgeries of jealousy (Full Text)

These are the forgeries of jealousy:
And never, since the middle summer’s spring,
Met we on hill, in dale, forest or mead,
By paved fountain or by rushy brook,
Or in the beached margent of the sea,
To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
But with thy brawls thou hast disturb’d our sport.
Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,
As in revenge, have suck’d up from the sea
Contagious fogs; which falling in the land
Have every pelting river made so proud
That they have overborne their continents.
The ox hath therefore stretch’d his yoke in vain,
The ploughman lost his sweat, and the green corn
Hath rotted ere his youth attain’d a beard;
The fold stands empty in the drowned field,
And crows are fatted with the murrion flock;
The nine-men’s-morris is fill’d up with mud,
And the quaint mazes in the wanton green
For lack of tread are undistinguishable.
The human mortals want their winter cheer:
No night is now with hymn or carol blest.
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,
Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
That rheumatic diseases do abound:
And thorough this distemperature we see
The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts
Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose;
And on old Hiems’ thin and icy crown,
An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds
Is, as in mockery, set; the spring, the summer,
The childing autumn, angry winter, change
Their wonted liveries; and the mazed world,
By their increase, now knows not which is which.
And this same progeny of evils comes
From our debate, from our dissension;
We are their parents and original. 

Unfamiliar Words

Forgeries: lies

Dale: valley

Paved fountain: pebbly spring

Rushy brook: weedy stream

Margent: border

Ringlets: in circles

Ploughman: farmer

Nine-men’s-morris: a game (learn more)

Conclusion

This is an incredibly fun monologue to tackle, so remember to enjoy it! Though the main themes are jealousy and disaster, remember that you can still be playful. Prepare the piece as thoroughly as you can and never give up on the words. Keep digging, and keep trying to find more in this incredible monologue. For more A Midsummer Night’s Dream monologues.

The post Titania Monologue (Act 2, Scene 1) appeared first on StageMilk.

I have listed all the notable monologues from the play both for men and women. I recently watched a terrific production of this play presented by the Donmar Warehouse in the UK, which was performed by an all-female cast. It was superb. So don’t ever feel limited to the gender of these characters and enjoy tackling whichever speech resonates with you.

If you need a brief overview of the play:

Julius Caesar Monologue for Men

Act 1 Scene 2 (Cassius)

Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that ‘Caesar’?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with ’em,
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say till now, that talk’d of Rome,
That her wide walls encompass’d but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have brook’d
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king

LEARN MORE: Full Cassius Act 1 Scene 2 Monologue Breakdown

Act 2 Scene 1 (Brutus)

It must be by his death. And for my part
I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
But for the general. He would be crowned:
How that might change his nature, there’s the question.
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,
And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,
And then I grant we put a sting in him
That at his will he may do danger with.
Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power. And, to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections swayed
More than his reason. But ’tis a common proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But, when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then, lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrel
Will bear no color for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities.
And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg,
Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous,
And kill him in the shell.

LEARN MORE: Brutus Act 2 Scene 1 Monologue Breakdown

Act 3 Scene 1 (Marc Antony)

Marc Antony walks in to see Caesar’s body, and the senators who have committed the crime stand before him…

O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank:
If I myself, there is no hour so fit
As Caesar’s death hour, nor no instrument
Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die:
No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

Act 3 Scene 1 (Marc Antony)

Antony looks over Caesar’s dead body, after he has just been murdered…

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,—
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter’d with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
Cry ‘Havoc,’ and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

LEARN MORE: Full Marc Antony Act 2 Scene 1 Monologue Breakdown

Act 3 Scene 2 (Marc Antony)

Caesar’s funeral. Marc Antony has been allowed to speak, but cannot openly call out the crime of the senators. He uses this speech to rouse the people of rome…

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer’d it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest–
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men–
Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

Act 3 Scene 2 (Marc Antony):

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle. I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on.
‘Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.
See what a rent the envious Casca made.
Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed.
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no.
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all.
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
Oh, now you weep, and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

Julius Caesar Monologues for Women

Act 2 Scene 1 (Portia)

Is Brutus sick? And is it physical
To walk unbracèd and suck up the humors
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick,
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night
And tempt the rheumy and unpurgèd air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus.
You have some sick offense within your mind,
Which by the right and virtue of my place
I ought to know of.
(kneels) And upon my knees
I charm you, by my once-commended beauty,
By all your vows of love and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one
That you unfold to me, your self, your half,
Why you are heavy, and what men tonight
Have had to resort to you. For here have been
Some six or seven who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

LEARN MORE: Portia Act 2 Scene 1 Monologue Breakdown

Act 2 Scene 1 (Portia)

Nor for yours neither. You’ve ungently, Brutus,
Stole from my bed: and yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose, and walk’d about,
Musing and sighing, with your arms across,
And when I ask’d you what the matter was,
You stared upon me with ungentle looks;
I urged you further; then you scratch’d your head,
And too impatiently stamp’d with your foot;
Yet I insisted, yet you answer’d not,
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: so I did;
Fearing to strengthen that impatience
Which seem’d too much enkindled, and withal
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep,
And could it work so much upon your shape
As it hath much prevail’d on your condition,
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.

Act 2 Scene 2 (Calpurnia)

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn’d, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

I hope you enjoy getting stuck into one of these great monologues. If you need any help preparing your Shakespeare monologue check out how to perform Shakespeare.

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