by Luke Dixon
To a young handsome man. Then I lov’d him,
Extremely lov’d him, infinitely lov’d him.
And yet he had a cousin, fair as he too.
But in my heart was Palamon, and there,
Lord, what a coil he keeps.* To hear him
Sing in an evening, what a heaven it is!
And yet his songs are sad ones. Fairer spoken
Was never gentleman. When I come in
To bring him water in a morning, first
He bows his noble body, then salutes me, thus:
‘Fair, gentle maid, good morrow; may thy goodness
Get thee a happy husband.’ Once he kiss’d me.
I lov’d my lips the better ten days after.
Would he would do so ev’ry day! He grieves much,
And me as much to see his misery.
What should I do, to make him know I love him?
For I would fain enjoy him. Say I ventur’d
To set him free? What says the law then? Thus much
For law, or kindred! I will do it,
And this night, or tomorrow, he shall love me.”
(Act 2, scene 4, lines 1–33)
GLOSSARY
affect – love
When fifteen once has found us – once we reach the age of puberty
what a coil he keeps – what a turmoil he makes
LUKE DIXON
Luke Dixon is a director, teacher and academic. He is internationally known for both productions of Shakespeare and site-specific work. He has directed and led workshops on Shakespeare around the world, from A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Brazil to Macbeth in Hong Kong via Pericles in South Africa.
Luke is Artistic Director of Theatre Nomad and a regular tutor at London’s Actors Centre. He is editor of two collections of Shakespeare monologues in this series, and author of Play-Acting: A Guide to Theatre Workshops. For more information, see www.lukedixon.co.uk
THE GOOD AUDITION GUIDES
CLASSICAL MONOLOGUES
edited by Marina Caldarone
SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUES
edited by Luke Dixon
SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
edited by Luke Dixon
MODERN MONOLOGUES
edited by Trilby James
A NICK HERN BOOK
The Good Audition Guides:
Shakespeare Monologues for Women
first published in Great Britain in 2009
by Nick Hern Books Limited
The Glasshouse, 49a Goldhawk Road, London W12 8QP
This ebook edition first published in 2012
Introduction copyright © 2009 Luke Dixon
Copyright in this selection © 2009 Nick Hern Books Ltd
Cover design: www.energydesignstudio.com
Typeset by Country Setting, Kingsdown, Kent, CT14 8ES
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 78001 003 8 (ebook edition)
ISBN 978 1 84842 007 6 (print edition)
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