Contemporary speech: Performed by the character Angela in a published play written and directed by Gordon Steel.
The play was first performed by the Hull Truck Theatre Company at the Dovecote Arts Centre, Stockton-on-Tees, on August 15 1995, at the Edinburgh Festival and then on a nationwide tour. It is set in Middlesbrough.
The Original Cast included:
Angela: Caroline Wardle
Viv: Carole Copeland
Ken: Michael Hodgson
Maxine: Samantha Seager
Monkey: Michael Hodgson
The Cast for the National tour was:
Angela: Jill Halfpenny
Viv: Carole Copeland
Ken: John Tierney
Maxine: Vicky Entwhistle
Monkey: Michael Hodgson
Choosing a suitable speech for me took a few weeks because I felt the need to find one that suited me as much as it could do. I finally decided on a particular speech from a play written by Gordon Steel called Like a virgin. When I read the speech for the first time only by reading the first few lines I knew it would dwell well with how I can express emotion through a speech. I wanted to choose something I could get my teeth into and show as much emotion as I could. The speech is spoken by a character called Angela who falls ill to Myeloid Leukemia. This speech has a light hearted atmosphere following a quite sad and dark plot. I think I liked the play because it has the light hearted funny atmosphere which the audience needs to be able to enjoy the show but also to understand a realistic message that the writer is trying to put across. i feel like Gordon Steel wants the audience to think and feel emotions during this show and to realise that this could be a very real situation in every day life.
Angela has a best friend named Maxine and they are both besotted with Madonna. In this speech Angela has just been told by Maxine to stop feeling sorry for herself, it's difficult but she needs to get out there and live a bit. This speech is a mix of a reaction to those words from Maxine and also what I believe is a build up and climax of Angela's fear, anger and curiosity. I chose this speech because it stood out to me when I read the first few lines and I was attracted by the different levels of emotion I could use. I already had inspiration of what to do when using this speech. I also found the speech sweet as it follows a close friendship between Angela and Maxine who are best friends and both dream of becoming famous. This stood out to me as it reminds me of the friendship I have with Alicia. The play is full of innocence but also contrasts with the more adult themes.
The lead up to the speech shows Angela and Maxine in scene 4 Act 2. Maxine has just gone out with Jamie Powers, the guy she fancies. Maxine admits they had sex on the first date and she wants to go out and celebrate. Angela doesn't feel up to it. Maxine ends up pushing her buttons.
Classical Speech: 12th Night spoken by the character Viola. Written by William Shakespeare.
Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her!
She made good view of me, indeed so much
That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,
For she did speak in starts distractedly.
She loves me, sure! The cunning of her passion
Invites me in this churlish messenger.
None of my lord’s ring? Why, he sent her none.
I am the man. If it be so, as ’tis,
Poor lady, she were better love a dream.
Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness,
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.
How easy is it for the proper false
In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!
Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we,
For such as we are made of, such we be.
How will this fadge? My master loves her dearly,
And I, poor monster, fond as much on him,
And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.
What will become of this? As I am man,
My state is desperate for my master’s love.
As I am woman, now, alas the day,
What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!
O time, thou must untangle this, not I.
It is too hard a knot for me to untie!
Translation:
I didn’t give her any ring. What’s she trying to say? I hope
she doesn’t have a crush on me! It’s true she looked at me a lot, in fact, she
looked at me so much that she seemed distracted, and couldn’t really finish her
sentences very well. Oh, I really think she loves me! She sent this rude
messenger to tell me to come back, instead of coming herself, which would be
indis-creet. She doesn’t want Orsino’s ring! Orsino never sent her a ring. I’m
the man she wants. If that’s true, which it is, she might as well be in love
with a dream, the poor lady. Now I understand why it’s bad to wear disguises.
Disguises help the devil do his work. It’s so easy for a good-looking but
deceitful man to make women fall in love with him. It’s not our fault—we women
are weak. We can’t help what we’re made of. Ah, how will this all turn out? My
lord loves her, and. poor me, I love him just as much. And she’s deluded enough
to be in love with me. What can possibly fix this situation? I’m pretending to
be a man, so my love for the Duke is hopeless. And since I’m a woman—too bad
I’m a woman—Olivia’s love for me is hopeless as well! Oh, only time can sort
out this mess. I can’t figure it out by myself!
I chose this classical piece because I believe it is an obvious contrast to my contemporary as it is more comical and shows a more playful side. This character has disguised herself as a man. Olivia has mistaken her love for Viola thinking she is a man. Viola has disguised herself as Cesario who is trying to obtain the love of her master. Viola is a likable heroin in this play and portrays the deepest love.
Trial and error:
Not having done a lot of classical speeches, it was quite difficult trying to comprehend the iambic pentameter. I also found learning Shakespeare was harder as when I tried to learn this monologue with out actually looking into it and with out understanding what she is talking about it was extremely hard. I went into deeper research and got a wider understanding of Viola and why she would want to dress as a man, what the plot was about and had a look at the translation of the speech in a way I could understand.
I found it difficult to place an accurate mood for the piece and therefore had to look for clues in the text to help me. After some research I felt like the mood of the speech was actually quite light hearted and entertaining, with some pauses for personal thought. I think when she says 'poor lady' she actually feels sympathetic. I try and show different emotions by using dramatic pauses, more sweet toned vocal work to make it seem more of a lifted atmosphere.
GRUSHA- 'THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE'
My Last speech I will be performing is a speech from 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' By Bertolt Brecht. This speech was first performed at The Berlin Ensemble in 1954, and this translation of the speech was published in 1960. I chose this piece because when I first read the words they seemed powerful and meaningful, and I really wanted to try and take on the challenge of portraying the emotion of anger and disgust. These emotions are what I strongly sense this character is feeling. If i were put in this situation I would be more than angry I would do everything possible to be able to protect that child. I feel as though Grusha does not think this widow is capable of looking after this child and after bonding with this child and taking pitty on him the last thing she wants to do is return him to a woman who has no real feeling for the child. I think in this speech Grusha 'fights' with her words. I think her anger extends knowing that the judge is a drunken bribe-taker. I have decided to use a sense of power in my voice, and tense body language to help put across the frustration of the character i am trying to portray.
When the Governor's palace in Grusinia is stormed and the Governor taken away and executed, his baby son Michael is abandoned by his mother and his nurse. Grusha, a young kitchen maid, takes pity on the child and flees with him into the Northern Mountains. After many adventures, she is brought before a drunken rogue, Judge Asdak. The Governor's widow has demanded that Michael be returned to her and asks the court to restore custody. The judge is on the widow's side and threatens to fine Grusha 20 piastres for contempt of court. In this scene Grusha accuses the Judge of bribe-taking and corruption.
I chose this classical piece because I believe it is an obvious contrast to my contemporary as it is more comical and shows a more playful side. This character has disguised herself as a man. Olivia has mistaken her love for Viola thinking she is a man. Viola has disguised herself as Cesario who is trying to obtain the love of her master. Viola is a likable heroin in this play and portrays the deepest love.
Trial and error:
Not having done a lot of classical speeches, it was quite difficult trying to comprehend the iambic pentameter. I also found learning Shakespeare was harder as when I tried to learn this monologue with out actually looking into it and with out understanding what she is talking about it was extremely hard. I went into deeper research and got a wider understanding of Viola and why she would want to dress as a man, what the plot was about and had a look at the translation of the speech in a way I could understand.
I found it difficult to place an accurate mood for the piece and therefore had to look for clues in the text to help me. After some research I felt like the mood of the speech was actually quite light hearted and entertaining, with some pauses for personal thought. I think when she says 'poor lady' she actually feels sympathetic. I try and show different emotions by using dramatic pauses, more sweet toned vocal work to make it seem more of a lifted atmosphere.
GRUSHA- 'THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE'
My Last speech I will be performing is a speech from 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' By Bertolt Brecht. This speech was first performed at The Berlin Ensemble in 1954, and this translation of the speech was published in 1960. I chose this piece because when I first read the words they seemed powerful and meaningful, and I really wanted to try and take on the challenge of portraying the emotion of anger and disgust. These emotions are what I strongly sense this character is feeling. If i were put in this situation I would be more than angry I would do everything possible to be able to protect that child. I feel as though Grusha does not think this widow is capable of looking after this child and after bonding with this child and taking pitty on him the last thing she wants to do is return him to a woman who has no real feeling for the child. I think in this speech Grusha 'fights' with her words. I think her anger extends knowing that the judge is a drunken bribe-taker. I have decided to use a sense of power in my voice, and tense body language to help put across the frustration of the character i am trying to portray.
When the Governor's palace in Grusinia is stormed and the Governor taken away and executed, his baby son Michael is abandoned by his mother and his nurse. Grusha, a young kitchen maid, takes pity on the child and flees with him into the Northern Mountains. After many adventures, she is brought before a drunken rogue, Judge Asdak. The Governor's widow has demanded that Michael be returned to her and asks the court to restore custody. The judge is on the widow's side and threatens to fine Grusha 20 piastres for contempt of court. In this scene Grusha accuses the Judge of bribe-taking and corruption.
