Lady vs. Anne

[rm]

I have two auditions tomorrow requiring a classical monologue. I usually use a Lady Anne thing from Richard III, because I think it suits me massively, and casting folks have said as much in a "that's really interesting, but I don't know what to do with you" way. I get good feedback on it, but it's never gotten me anywhere.

That said, I'm having an impulse to use something from the Macbeth stuff I did at NIDA. Something in the back of my head is telling me that it's the sort of thing people don't want to see (overdone? Macbeth superstitions?), but I also know I had serious professional coaching on it, and it's the thing that made people take me really seriously at NIDA, so part of me thinks I can just nail the thing to the wall if I do it. Of course, I also worry because my interpretation of Lady Macbeth is a bit outside of the typical bounds (good? bad?) mainly in that she's _young_ which is accurate to the period, but not to what we've done to the play in modern times.

Um... thoughts?

Comments

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Can't hurt. They have probably seen every hackneyed version of that monologue ever - a different take would likely prick up their ears, for better or for worse. Best to be memorable, right? And, the professional coaching is GOOD.

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

go for Lady Macbeth. i love the idea of her being younger. never pass up the chance to show your stuff.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I should write about that more... it was sort of a revolution to me when the idea of her being young was suggested to me, and then it became a real obsession with my scene partner and I in developing the relationship with Macbeth, because he has to be young too... and the idea that the people are incredibly instinctually savvy, but also have _no damn idea what they're doing_ and it's really the way girls can egg each other on in certain types of dark hyseria (think Heavenly Creatures) just really consumed us.

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

*nods* i was thinking along those lines... two people too young overreaching. it would be really fascinating.

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

I don't know- I didn't think that Macbeth himself has to be young. I would be interested in seeing it played that way, though.

One thing I've always hated about that play is how Macbeth comes off as a victim, when really he's quite evil, but the fearful kind rather than the bold kind.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Mabeth doesn't have to be young, no, but he's a vital vital man in a period where 40 was approaching old age. He's probably not older than 30, and you could justifiably play him as 20. The Lady could even really be 16, regardless of his age, although when we did it we had him as 24 - 26 and her as 20 - 23.

[ladypeculiar.livejournal.com]

I use a Queen Margaret monologue from Henry VI (Part III) that I think you would really dig . . . I forget where it is but it starts, "Enforced the? Art thou king and will be 'forced?"

I wouldn't do Macbeth simply because your audition will probably be colored by people who know nothing about Shakespeare doing it really badly.

I have a copy of this SOMEWHERE but there's a monologue from Racine's Pheadra which you could do really well.
Take up your sword
And slay another monster, the most dangerous--
Theseus's wife who dared to love Hippolytus!

There's also a bunch of Marlowe somewhere in the house, perhaps something from "Dido"?

[rm.livejournal.com]

If this wasn't _tomorrow_ I would learn something new. I'm glad there's Marlowe in the house though... i've been thinking that where I need to pick up something new from for a while now.

[ladypeculiar.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhhhhh. Then yeah, do Macbeth. It's fresher and more immediate for you as a piece.

[ladypeculiar.livejournal.com]

As an aside though you neeeeed to read Pheadra if you haven't. It's one of my favoritest plays ever in the whole wide world and will push your buttons all to hell. I haven't thought of it in a while.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I haven't, oddly. And yes, I should and shall.

[miep.livejournal.com]

yeah, i myself am a big lady percy fan (oh yet, for god's sake, go not to these wars!) but 24 hours to work up something new is a leetle too short.

be daring. they might not know what to do with you, but they'll remember you...

advice from someone who knows nothing about acting.

[quaskye.livejournal.com]

what more could you ask for?

How important are the auditions to you? The Lady Anne hasn't been getting you anywhere, so why not take advantage of the opportunity to at least give McBeth a test run. If you get a bad reaction, who cares. There will be so many more auditions. And then you'll be able to confidently scratch McBeth off the audition list and not worry about it (in theory).

Re: advice from someone who knows nothing about acting.

[quaskye.livejournal.com]

note to self: learn how to spell Macbeth before posting. sorry.

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

I would say do Lady Macbeth.

The reason most modern productions portray her as a bitter old woman is because of the ageism of our time. It's okay to hate an old woman, they are all mean and bitter and conniving. BUt young women are sexy/pure.

I think playing her young will be refreshing and make you stand out. And it's something you are comfortable with and you know you do it well.

[patashoqua.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the Polanski version of MacB? It's uneven, but interesting, and the Lady is about 20.