They are super popular, for sure. That's not a dealbreaker necessarily but it's something to factor in when choosing. What about them do you think shows off your abilities specifically?

Well personally I think that I perform best in monologues where the character is feeling conflicted and in a vulnerable state. I also have a better understanding of these two characters compared to a lot of others from less well known plays. So I’d rather do something I’m comfortable with. I’ve also previously worked on Brutus it must be by his death monologue from julius Caesar which I’ve had some success with, but I’m only 17 so it might not be seen as suitable for a drama school as he is out of my age range currently

I have also considered that these monologues are popular and there’s a high bar when performing them but I think I’m better doing something I understand and connect with than something more obscure

Hmmm well there certainly may be things she's exploring in her identity, and honestly I've changed my opinion about a lot of Rosalind-related stuff since I shot this video, but I don't think she's interested in Phebe at all. Historically when they talked about dark hair, dark eyes etc, that would have been considered unattractive, and the cream is referring to a sallow colour rather than what we think of today when we say 'skin like cream'. The historical context makes a difference here, but also more importantly, this moment is a chance for her to actually speak her mind for once, and she's enjoying letting rip, so to speak, so in my experience it's actually less of a dynamic moment when it's played as her being attracted to Phebe. Obviously you can do what you want though, it's actor's choice when it comes to auditions!

Yes! I'll put it on my list but I'm not sure how soon I'll get a chance to shoot it. How soon is your audition? I also started replying to your comment on my soliloquy video and then got interrupted and forgot. 😬

@@ShakespearewithSarah thank you so much! I'm filming self tapes now, but then recalls will be in a couple of months I'm guessing

Going to do another video soon talking about this! Basically the answer is, "Don't worry so much". 😆 Which I know is a frustratingly vague answer... but Iambic pentameter is seriously not a dealbreaker in auditions! Hoping to get the video out this week, will link it for you once it's up and hopefully it will clear a few things up for you.

Thank you Dave! Love the histories.

I love this monologue! This is definitely one where sharing it with the audience is SO important, because it's all about his sense of confusion and amusement at being in the midst of this situation. Make sure you have fun with it, that's important. Don't take it too seriously, especially the first half. I think the other thing is making sure you feel really clear about what he's saying in the second half where the language becomes a little more complex. Go back through the text and create memories of particular moments (e.g. when he first met Olivia) and his opinions at each point. Hope that helps!

Yes that one’s actually super complex. What I recommend for that one is to break into sections and think about a focal point for each. She has lots of focal points in this one - messenger, audience, letter, Macbeth (imagined), spirits, sometimes more depending on how you want to do it. In rehearsal, go slowly through the monologue and connect to each focal point in each section until you feel clear. In performance, it doesn’t need to be perfect - often those focal points transfer to our mind’s eye rather than our in the space - but rehearsing it this way will help you get that clarity and control so it doesn’t get muddy. Break a leg!

@@ShakespearewithSarah Thank you so much Sarah! Added complication, I live in Italy and so am doing the piece in Italian! Have a great day

Hi Donald, yes of course, I have lots of videos on this topic. I’m sure scholars will argue about it but in my opinion Shakespeare isn’t realism OR naturalism, but of course truthfulness is required. You’re welcome to watch one of my videos where I give my perspective on how to handle that balance as an actor. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWHTp6CHd819adU Though it sounds like maybe you might already have your ideas formulated on the subject.

Yes! Great example where the language tends to be quite naturalistic but the circumstances are really heightened.

Hmmm I’d probably say “I greet thee, my love. how art thou?” Although even that would probably be a bit unusual - like announcing “I’m saying hello to you my darling! How are you?” 😂

Yayyyy I’m so pleased you feel that way! Can’t wait to support you in the Studio ❤❤❤

Hey hun, yes soliloquies still count, they’re like a sub-category of monologues 😊

Well the good news is that you're not alone. I think that's why this monologue is so popular! 400 years old but so relatable. ❤️

Yes absolutely, unless the audition brief says Shakespeare specifically then you can do any classical monologue. Common alternatives are Marlowe, Webster, Jonson.

I know you're joking but it's true - Shakespeare trains actors to do sci fi! Hopefully the hair is just a coincidence... 🤔

It only has music for the first minute or so. When I explain how to do the exercise, there's no music in the background. Feel free to skip to 1.40.

Yes they're quite interesting... I think I'd enjoy them more if I was just acting and not coaching/directing. They're definitely simpler and the meter notes are handy.

Yep, it usually runs under two minutes. This one is very popular though! That's not a dealbreaker necessarily, just something to be aware of.

Great question. It’s always worth exploring different options and finding something that interests you. In this case though, I think it’ll be hard to make it work because the whole point of the monologue is that she’s letting herself be really honest about how she sees Phebe, and everything she says is along the lines of, “you’re not that great, so don’t fool yourself!” It’s useful to remember that Shakespeare’s characters generally say what they mean and mean what they say. There can be nuances of course, but they don’t tend to say the opposite of what they mean like characters often do in contemporary plays. With everything though, I always recommend testing it out on the floor. It’ll usually be obvious it’s not working, because you’ll find that it’s hard to connect to the next section, or maybe the climax/conclusion doesn’t work because your choice has taken you too far down a different path. Hope that helps.

In terms of finding accurate iambic pentameter, it's a little tricky because it's subjective. Different actors, directors and scholars will argue different things about the rhythms, so there's no such thing as 'accurate' really. But generally I recommend listening to actors like Judi Dench, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart because they've been doing Shakespeare most of their lives, and the rhythm is ingrained.

Yayyyyy! ❤️❤️❤️

Or you could just speed up the video 🙄🙄🙄

Oh yes I need to put this on my list! I will try to film it soon. Sorry if your audition/production has passed, I just spotted this comment!

Great question! I'm going to give you a short answer and a longer answer. Short answer: comedy can go 'bigger', drama will be easier when it's 'smaller'. So if you don't know where to start, start with that! Longer answer: in an audition situation, you get to decide. It's good practice to always think about how to 'pitch' your performance in terms of energy, it's a skill that every actor needs. You can make the choice based on what you know of the character, play, production/director/school you're auditioning for, and what your strengths are. Ultimately there's no right and wrong, so I suggest always testing it out different ways and seeing what feels good. Not many actors do this - most actors think there's only one way of doing things, and it's usually the same as 90% of the actors auditioning. And that's why they don't stand out. Hope that helps.

Was Shakespeare in the Middle Ages?

@oraetlabora1922 No! SHAKESPEARE' 1626AD🐼🐱🐸🙉