I Can’t Win

In the dramatic one-act play I Can’t Win, Nella talks to her husband about the troubling guy their daughter is dating.

Featured Monologue – I Can’t Win

NELLA:  I’m tired of him!  Who the hell does he think he is to insult me that way?  I cannot believe it Avid.  I am the adult.  How dare he?  Where does he get the nerve to speak that way?  I just don’t know what to say.  I’m at a loss for words here.  I cannot believe our daughter is dating an animal like that.  What a piece of sh’t he is.  God!  You know, I told her to stay away from Germans.  Did she listen?  Of course not.  She does what she wants to do anyway.  What’s the point?

I never liked him from day one.  Hey, I’m sorry, but it’s how my mother raised me.  She told me, ”Nella, you stay away from those German boys.  They are controlling and jealous”.  So, that’s exactly what I did.  I respected my mother’s wishes.  If my mother said jump in front of a train I would have, because I trusted her word.  My daughter, completely different story altogether.  She rebels, she rebels against what I want her to do.  She forgets all that I do for her as a mother and as a friend.  Sometimes I can’t believe she was raised under this roof.

Whatever, I’m through with it, let them both do what they want.  I don’t care anymore.  At least my other daughter listens to me.  She’s my pride and joy.  Thank God for her.  She keeps me sane.  I never have to complain about that one.  A perfect little angel.

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Monologue Summary

In this teen dramatic monologue, Riza talks to her friend about how her boyfriend’s tattoo has helped to improve her relationship with her mother.

• Genre: Drama
• Length: ~1 Minute
• Monologue Character: Nella
• Age Range: Any
• Themes: family
• Best For: Female Dramatic Monologues

World of the Play

• Cast Size: 1 woman, 1 man
• Characters in Play: Nella, Avid
• Time Period: Modern
• Synopsis: A one-act play between two parents coming to terms with the man their daughter is dating.

FAQ

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Monologue Source: I Can’t Win

I Can’t Win is a drama one-act ePlay by Joseph Arnone, 2026.