Audition Speeches

The blessed National Youth Theatre have published a collection of audition speeches drawn from plays they have premiered over their 50-year life. It’s a clever move because most of those speeches are for young people and it’s often young adults who are auditioning (for drama schools, etc.). Many of the plays are unpublished too, so students using the book will be offering some unfamiliar and original work to those auditions. (Unless, of course, the book is a huge hit and these monologues become wearily familiar.)

I’m thrilled that there’s a monologue by me in there. It’s from Outright Terror Bold and Brilliant, which I wrote for the National Youth Theatre in 2005, in direct response to the London Bombings. I still think it’s the first theatrical response to those terrible events.

The book is nicely produced and includes introductions to each monologue, giving context for the speech, and offering some thoughts on character and interpretation. It is available in all good bookshops and also Amazon.