How to Reveal a Compelling Character from a Monologue

One of the aspects of working on your monologue is building a character. We will examine some fundamental ideas that may be of use to you.

When constructing a living, breathing human being, you must go beyond merely learning your lines.

You have to investigate your character’s psyche, unlock their motivations, absorb their fears and desires, and embody your character’s humanity by working your monologue to make things real.

We will explore the process of unveiling a compelling character from a monologue, drawing on both technical and creative methods to guide you.

1. Understanding the Context of the Monologue

Take the necessary time needed to truly comprehend what the story is about by reading the full script.

• Read Full Script: A good idea would be to read the full script that accompanies your monologue in order to gain insight into the overall story narrative.

• Know Who You Are Talking To: Is your character speaking to themself or someone else during the monologue? If it’s someone else, what is the dynamic of the relationship like between who you are playing and speaking to?

• The Objective/Intention: What is your character after during the monologue? Clearly state for yourself the intention of what your character wants and desires. Does your character need forgiveness? Does your character wish to confess something?

2. The Emotional Core: Connecting with the Character’s Feelings

The monologue you’ve picked is your entrance into the emotional life of a person.

As an actor, your job is to get inside the world your character inhabits.

Building a character isn’t only about learning your lines and delivering them. It’s also about connecting yourself emotionally to what needs to be expressed.

• Examine The Emotional Arc: Observe in what way your character’s emotional states shift throughout the monologue. Where does your character’s emotional life begin at the start of the piece?

• Identifying With Your Monologue: Where inside yourself do you connect to the character you are portraying? You may be playing a person who is grieving, so it’s crucial to discover ways in which you can connect by finding ways of bringing yourself to the monologue as well.

• Embody the Emotions: In what ways do the feelings of your character get expressed physically? Different emotional states are expressed through different physical gestures. Is your character hunched over in a chair? Does their anxiety show through their hands?

3. Backstory: Creating a History for Your Character

Developing your character’s backstory is another way in which you can bring truth to your monologue.

Sometimes the script won’t give you as much as you wish you had to go on to build your character, and that’s fine.

Through the work of your imagination, you have the ability to explore all that you need.

The actor’s task is to invent, create, and imagine into existence the character you will behave as.

Your backstory could help you understand your character’s motivations.

• Character’s Past: You may ask yourself questions about your character, such as, where were they raised? Did they have parents? What standout aspects of their life’s memories were good and bad? The more details you provide yourself, the deeper places you can travel to with your monologue.

• Explore Relationships: Analyze your character’s relationships. Break them all down. If it’s a friend, make that friendship real to you. Is there trust in that friendship? Is there resentment? Jealousy? Love?

• Needs and Desires: What does your character’s want, need, or desire? Do they wish to reconcile with a sibling? Do they wish to get revenge on a traitor?

4. Voice and Physicality: Bringing the Character to Life

Another aspect of building a character from a monologue is the physicality of the role.

I’ve mentioned it briefly in part two, but your voice, posture, gestures, and facial expressions all work in harmony for your portrayal.

• Vocal Choices: How does your character speak? What’s their social status? What’s their age? Do they speak slowly or quickly? Do they have an accent? Are they soft-spoken or boisterous?

• Body Language: Your body is a vital component to expressing the truth of your character. How does your character carry themselves? Do they walk tall with confidence? Do they shy away from direct eye contact? Are there any physical gestures that your character does often? Why?

• Movement: The choreography of how your character moves is also important. Are they sitting or standing? Does the monologue start with your character sitting and then he/she stands at a certain point? What do your selected movements say about your character?

5. Create Layers Through Subtext

The underlying meanings in your monologue that are unspoken are another element to consider as an actor.

It’s important to explore what lives beneath the words.

• Beneath The Surface: What do you think your character truly means when they say what they say? Are they hiding something? Do they wish to make someone believe what they are saying, but they mean something else entirely? Are they afraid to admit something?

FINAL THOUGHTS

Depending on the questions raised and analyses explored, you will begin to weave something of a living person. This happens over time and on its own accord. It may happen naturally the more you get to work and perform the monologue for auditions.

Keep in mind that these are all thoughts that may or might not work for you; every actor is different. When in performance, none of it matters more than being present and in the moment.

This article explores suggestions that will hopefully intrigue and inspire you.