By Sophie
Link: https://www.actorscentre.co.uk/theatre-on-demand/character-solos/about
Available until: 16th May 2021. You can buy each stream separately or save money by purchasing them together. The videos are available for 48 hours after purchase.
Character Solos 1 is a set of seven monologues, written and performed by the actors. We’ve watched a lot of online monologues over the past year and in most of them, the character is alone, or at least not with anyone who’s going to interrupt. If another character is mentioned, the monologue informs us of who they are and what they say. They do not appear in person.
Character Solos 1 is a bit different. They do involve other characters, but these characters are invisible. We might see the chair in which they’re sitting; the bed on which they’re lying; the space in which they’re standing, but we don’t see them. Nevertheless, they are there and every so often, the character giving the monologue pauses, giving the other characters a chance to answer. We can guess what they’ve said from the reaction, but we hear nothing. There is nothing to hear.
It’s a really interesting way of using a monologue. It’s also a really good way of presenting a particular type of scene. The invisible characters in the scene don’t necessarily have anything valuable to add. It’s all about the character we actually can see. There are some strong personalities in these monologues. Some surprising personalities. Some really worrying personalities. If the other characters had appeared in person and spoken the lines implied by the monologue, would they actually have added something to the scene?
It’s impossible to say for certain, but it’s quite possible they wouldn’t. They might have been completely overpowered by the main personality to the extent that it was a very one-sided scene. By removing the other people from the equation altogether, the focus is immediately on the character who matters. Another point worth mentioning is that most of the characters aren’t interested in what the other person has to say. They are looking for agreement or obedience and there is no room for compromise. Perhaps they don’t see the other person as a human being at all; they merely hear a voice that must be silenced.
Also, the human brain is often more affected by what they can’t see than what they can. The unknown can be frightening. If we’re left to imagine what is going on, our imagination might take us to places which a stage production might not. Not that a stage production can’t be frightening. It definitely can! But if it’s left to our imaginations, we can imagine what would be the very worse thing for us personally - or the very best thing for us personally. The images in our minds might have no affect at all on anyone else, but they can have a big impact on us as individuals.
It's also great to watch. All these scenes work really well with the format and the actors have created some really brilliant characters. The scripts are really strong and the actors perform them well. I’m assuming the writer of the script is the actor who is performing it, but this could be incorrect.
Sophie Angleson introduces us to Bobbi, who is in an interview with two other people. We only see and hear Bobbi, but she responds to what is being said. She isn’t really as tactful as she could be, but this monologue makes a very important point which is often overlooked in the fight for equality: the role of women in pressuring other women to be something they’re not; to feel a particular way and to believe a particular viewpoint.
Jude Monk McGowan plays the role of Andrea (Italian pronunciation), who is speaking to a prisoner named Jack. Andrea is presumably a psychologist. He tells Jack a very powerful and moving story about his own life. Jude’s performance is astounding. His strength and love is incredible to watch.
Jackie Halliday is Vanessa, a very pushy mum who wants her daughter Skye to go to a school for very bright children. It veers brilliantly between horror and comedy. Vanessa is excruciating to watch at times and she could cause a certain amount of agonised cringing, but it’s a very good performance.
Paupusza, played by Sarah Woodruff, is a woman who describes herself as a gypsy. The piece is very much based around the stereotypical view of gypsies. I’m sure there are some gypsies who are exactly like Papusza, but I would put this down to her personality rather than her race – and she has a very intriguing personality. Told in half-darkness, this is a very atmospheric piece.
Although the temptation is to create a likeable character, or at least one you can laugh at with something approaching affection, James Kemp takes a different approach with the character of Roger. The police have come to see him on an extremely worrying subject, and Roger is not giving the impression of being particularly trustworthy. It is a very clever portrait of significant sliminess, but the thought was in my mind that it isn’t always the most untrustworthy person who is guilty.
Orna Salinger’s performance as Gloria is quite scary and some of her behaviour is deeply disturbing, but she also gives the impression of a woman who is not prepared to take any more nonsense… which makes you wonder if Gloria was always on the edge or if she was pushed to the edge. Ichthyophobes should steer clear of this one.
Edge, played by George Taylor, clearly thinks he’s an
expert in the field of stage combat and perhaps he is. He has little patience.
No sense of humour. Lots of attitude. He makes a lot of interesting points
about stage combat so the piece is educational, but there’s also an
overpowering sense of tension which slowly increases, little by little.
A very interesting selection of monologues on different
subjects and the characterisation is spectacular.
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