Bombshells Monologue?

[Caraxyz]

So, I decided on doing the 'Meryl Louise Davenport' monologue (The mother one) from Bombshells for my IP, and I've just learnt that apparently Bombshells, and the monologue I've decided to do, are extremely common monologues for people to perform in the HSC?

I've been working on it for two terms now, and I'm growing pretty worried because I don't want to perform a monologue that the markers have seen a thousand times - and I'm worried I won't be able to put my own spin on it and make it unique.

Did anyone have any tips? Also, is what I heard even true?

[sudodds]

So, I decided on doing the 'Meryl Louise Davenport' monologue (The mother one) from Bombshells for my IP, and I've just learnt that apparently Bombshells, and the monologue I've decided to do, are extremely common monologues for people to perform in the HSC?

I've been working on it for two terms now, and I'm growing pretty worried because I don't want to perform a monologue that the markers have seen a thousand times - and I'm worried I won't be able to put my own spin on it and make it unique.

Did anyone have any tips? Also, is what I heard even true?

Hey! Okay so preface - I didn't do a monologue. I did a short film for my IP. But I do know a bit about the monologue process from my friends, and stuff that my teacher said in class. I haven't heard if your exact monologue is common or overdone, but I do know that there can be some positives to doing a well recognised piece. One massive benefit is that if the markers know the piece, then rather than having to spend the time trying to "understand" what is going on - understanding the symbolism, the themes, the metaphors, etc - they can instead just sit back and enjoy your performance/interpretation. I also know that just because a monologue is done often, doesn't mean that you automatically cannot do well. Potentially you may need to pull off a better/more interesting interpretation to set you apart from the rest (something that you should be trying to do anyway). I know that a very common monologue is one from 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde, but despite it's popularity someone in 2014 got onto On-Stage with that monologue, and a girl from my school did it in 2015 and got a high band 6.

In the end, the mark is going to come more form the quality of your performance, rather than the quality of the monologue its self (or how popular it is). However, I definitely recommend "shaking it up" a bit, make it interesting, show the markers that you have actively engaged with the text - the themes and issues - and re-invented them to suit your own interpretation. The highest performing monologue from my cohort last year was a reinvention of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet (something that I believe would be pretty common), but from Mercutio's perspective.

Hope this helps! Good luck

Susie