This selection of speeches of all types - serious and comic, realist and absurdist - is drawn from contemporary plays by English, American and European playwrights. The editors have set each piece in its context, presenting a useful resource for acting classes, contests, auditions and rehearsals

A collection of the best stage monologues of the eighties and nineties (including new translations) This volume brings together monologues of all types - from serious to comic and shades in between - to provide a varied, dramatic challenge for any actor: professional, student or amateur. Here is an invaluable resource for auditions, acting classes competitions and rehearsals. Playwrights include: Alan Bennett, Steven Berkoff, Howard Brenton, Caryl Churchill, Ariel Dorfman, Brian Friel, John Guare, Iain Heggie, Declan Hughes, Tony Kushner, Doug Lucie, Frank McGuinness, David Mamet, Anthony Minghella, Tom Murphy, Richard Nelson, Harold Pinter, Billy Roche, Sam Shepard and Stephen Sondheim