National Youth Theatre Monologues: 75 Speeches for Auditions by various playwrights

The problem with any book of monologues for audition purposes is that compiling them into a collection places them in a canon of work which those conducting the auditions will see time and time again. Students are rightfully wary of making their own unique mark when repeating the same texts.

It is with relief then that this bang up-to-date collection goes off the beaten track of regularly recited work by plundering the back catalogue of texts produced by the National Youth Theatre (NYT) to give students a solid starting point. While the book chronicles NYT's history of well-known classics (Oedipus and Blood Wedding for example), it is the contemporary slant which gives this collection its edge, featuring dozens of monologues from productions staged in the last decade, with work from Zawe Ashton, James Graham, Evan Placey and Sarah Solemani.

While the book would certainly suit those auditioning for NYT membership, many of these monologues would be perfect for practical examinations. The book is packed with a plethora of useful information, insightful snippets from interviews with NYT alumni and endlessly detailed guidance on bringing each text to life. Most useful is the online access to the full scripts of previously unpublished plays contained within this volume, allowing students to investigate each play's context beyond the commentaries. A must have for any department and an essential purchase for students undertaking any audition