Shakespeare Casting Types
If you’re preparing for a Shakespeare audition, you will want to give some thought to your casting type. In a general audition (for a production), it’s essential that you choose a monologue that reflects your casting type, so the director or casting director can see you doing what you do best. For drama school auditions, it’s less important, but it might help you make a final decision once you’ve whittled it down to a shortlist.
For more info about choosing a monologue for drama school, check out my video here:
If you’re not too familiar with Shakespeare, I find it’s best to work with five very broad casting types: Comic, Dramatic, Romantic, Storyteller and Villain. If you want to get technical, these aren’t really casting types, they’re actually more to do with the style and genre that the audition monologue falls into - but they’re a really good guidepost when it comes to choosing monologues.
To identify your casting type, you need to think about two things: what you look like and what you’re good at.
Do any of the following apply to you? Not everything in each category needs to apply, and you might feel like you fit in multiple categories. That’s ok. Remember, this is not a reflection of the real you - of course, you are much more wonderfully complex than these reductive types! But try to be honest with yourself. If you had to pick a category, which one do you think it would be? If you’re not sure, ask a teacher, mentor or trusted friend.
The 5 Broad Casting Types
Comic - You are naturally good at making people laugh. Maybe you were a class clown at school or the entertainer at family gatherings. You might be highly energetic and/or have a goofy, expressive face. You might have an unusual or unique beauty. You tend to naturally understand comic timing and often get cast in the ‘funny’ roles. Bonus: do you play an instrument or have experience in acrobatics? This can sometimes (but not always) be useful for funny roles such as Shakespeare’s fools.
Dramatic - You have a ‘serious’ vibe. You might have natural frown lines. People turn to you for advice or to tell you their problems. You might have a strong body and/or a classical beauty about you. You’re naturally grounded. Bonus: do you have martial arts or other combat training?
Romantic - You have a sweetness, openness and/or vulnerability about you. You might have the classic ‘romantic lead’ look. You are able to communicate desire without fear on stage.
Storyteller - You are open
I’ll be drilling down further into Shakespeare casting types in future blog posts and videos,
My favourite monologues
Here are my favourite monologues for each of these categories. I’ve divided them into monologues for male-identifying and female-identifying - only because some schools still specify gender for their monologues. In ideal world, I would recommend just identifying which category you think you do best, and look for a monologue that speaks to you, regardless of gender - but just to be safe, check the audition requirements.
The following links should take you directly to the printable versions from the wonderful site, shakespeare-monologues.org. If any links are not working, please drop a comment below.
Female-identifying Comic Monologues
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Helena - Lo, she is one of this confederacy A well-known monologue that can be played big and camp or slightly more pared back. Room for comic gags based on the reactions of the other people in the scene (yes, even as a monologue!) Difficulty level: Easy
As You Like It - Phoebe/Phebe - Think not I love him, though I ask for him Phoebe humour comes from her lack of self awareness - she’s not the sharpest tool in the shed! Difficulty level: Easy
As You Like It - Rosalind - And why, I pray you? Rosalind’s style of comedy is witty and smart. Difficulty level: Easy/moderate
Twelfth Night - Olivia - O what a deal of scorn looks beautiful Another comic monologue that can be played big or small. The humour is in her putting herself out there in a big way - she gets carried away, and makes Viola feel super awkward. Another one that has room for comic gags. Difficulty level: Easy
Male-identifying Comic Monologues
Note: There are some really funny monologues in Shakespeare’s plays that are in prose, not verse (i.e. no Iambic Pentameter). Unfortunately, Shakespeare’s funniest characters speak in prose! This is not a coincidence - Shakespeare used prose for a more colloquial effect.
If you choose a monologue in prose, you technically won’t be able to show off your verse speaking, however you will certainly be able to show off your comic chops. Keep in mind that many drama schools prefer monologues in verse so they can see how you handle the language, so it is a bit of a risk to choose a monologue in prose. For that reason, I’ve only included monologues in verse below.
Richard III - Gloucester - Was ever woman in this humour woo’d? - Darkly humorous. Requires a bit of research to understand backstory. Difficulty level: Easy/moderate.
Love’s Labour’s Lost - Berowne - And I, forsooth, in love! Berowne is what I called ‘the poor man’s Benedict’, in that his character arc is very similar to Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing - but luckily, this monologue is in verse! Difficulty level: Easy/moderate.
Female-identifying Dramatic Monologues
The Winter’s Tale - Anything from Paulina or Hermione! Incredible monologues from strong women. Paulina is direct and powerful. Hermione is dignified and powerful. Difficulty level: Challenging.
All’s Well That Ends Well - Helena - Till I have no wife or Then I confess - Emotional monologues from a complex character. Difficulty level: Moderate
Julius Caesar - Portia - Is Brutus sick? A frustrated wife trying to get through to her husband. Difficulty level: Easy.
Male-identifying Dramatic Monologues
Note: Personally, I would stay away from Macbeth or Lear. The language is deceptively complex. Hamlet is a good option, but it can be hard to make him likeable. Just my opinion on those ones! Hopefully I’ll crack them one day…
Julius Caesar - Antony - If you have tears, prepare to shed them now Mark Antony, who has been a follower up til now, steps up to the plate in his grief over Caesar’s death, and touches the heart of the masses. Difficulty level: Moderate
Romeo and Juliet - Romeo - Tis torture, and not mercy Romeo is banished and he has lots of FEELINGS about it. Requires access to some big emotions - and they need to feel genuine. Difficulty level: Moderate/Challenging
Titus Andronicus - Titus - It was my deer Titus’s daughter Lavinia has been raped and her tongue cut out. Absolutely gut wrenching. For brave, mature actors. Difficulty level: Challenging
Henry V - Henry - This day is called the feast of Crispian Also called the ‘St Crispin’s Day’ speech. Stirring and powerful. Henry V inspires his soldiers when the odds are against them. Difficulty level: Easy BUT is incredibly well known! Some would say iconic. This is one where you really need to suit the character.
Non Gender-Specific Storytelling Monologues
Henry V - Chorus - O for a muse of fire The first line is pretty famous, but the rest of it is lesser known. The Chorus invites us into the play and paints the picture of Henry V at war and at court. Simple, and with plenty of room to personalise, interact with the audience and leave them spellbound. Difficulty level: Easy.
Henry V - Chorus - Now entertain conjecture of a time As above, except this time setting the scene specifically in the fields of war. Difficulty level: Easy
The Winter’s Tale - Time - I that please some, try all, both joy and terror Similarly to the Chorus, Time explains the change of scene (and time, of course) to Bohemia, sixteen years later. Again, plenty of room to choose your own characterisation here, but do note the language is more poetic and slightly more challenging. Difficulty level: Moderate.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Puck - Thou speak’st aright Puck is traditionally played as male, but it’s really suited to anybody who has that playful, slightly renegade vibe. This is another one with plenty of room to play around with characterisation and staging. Difficulty level: Easy
Female-identifying Storytelling Monologues
The Winter’s Tale - Perdita - Out alas, you’d be so lean We meet the charming, beautiful Perdita who wins over everyone who listens to her be charming and beautiful, while she talks about flowers. Did I mention she was charming and beautiful? Difficulty level: Moderate
Hamlet - Ophelia - My lord, as I was sewing in my closet Ophelia recounts her weird experience of Hamlet acting real weird. Difficulty level: Easy because she’s just chatting about something that happened, but Challenging because it needs to reveal how she is feeling about the situation. A lot going on internally.
Hamlet - Gertrude - There is a willow grows aslant a brook Gertrude describes Ophelia’s death. Very poetic and emotive - again, a lot going on inside. Difficulty level: Moderate/challenging
Male-identifying Storytelling Monologues
Richard III - Gloucester - Now is the winter of our discontent Another famous first line, but the monologue is not that popular for drama school auditions. Richard III (Gloucester) opens the play by explaining the current state of politics and why he’s grumpy about it. Difficulty level: Moderate
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Oberon - I know a bank where the wild thyme blows Oberon casts a spell over everyone with his poetic description of where to find a particular flower and what he’s going to do with it. Like Perdita’s chat about flowers, it requires a certain amount of charm and dynamism to captivate the audience. Difficulty level: Easy/moderate.
Female-identifying Romantic Monologues
Romeo and Juliet - Juliet - Thou knowest the mask of night This one is a great opportunity for an actor to demonstrate that spark of life that happens when someone falls in love. Sweet, sometimes accidentally funny, and vibrant. Difficulty level: Easy.
Romeo and Juliet - Juliet - Gallop apace, you fiery footed steeds. Sexy and full of life. Difficulty level: moderate
All’s Well That Ends Well - Helena - O were that all Helena describes how she feels about Bertram, the man she’s not allowed to love. Similar to Juliet but less well known. Difficulty level: Easy
The Merchant of Venice - Portia - I pray you tarry Portia tries to convince Bassanio to stay longer but she’s not allowed to be direct about it. Portia is a smarter and more mature romantic lead than we usually see. Difficulty level: Easy
Male-identifying Romantic Monologues
Romeo and Juliet - Romeo - But soft! What light through yonder window breaks A classic for a reason. The difficulty is in making the romance look real and engaging. Difficulty level: Moderate
Othello - Othello - Her father loved me, oft invited me Not often performed as a romantic monologue, but there is so much room for character interpretation here, whether he is awkward or poetic. Difficulty level: moderate/challenging
Love’s Labour’s Lost - Berowne - Thus pour the stars down plagues for perjury Berowne likes to wax lyrical, but here he really does bring the goods. Difficulty level: Moderate
I hope that helps! Please do drop me your questions or suggestions below. I try to do one video a week breaking down a Shakespeare monologue, so if you have an audition coming up, let me know which monologue you need help with and I will try to do a video for you.
