The Perfect Piece: Monologues from Canadian Plays

Anton Wagner is an assistant professor of Theatre at York University in
Toronto.

The Perfect Piece is an audition book containing 130 monologues selected
by Hamill from more than 1000 professionally produced Canadian plays
available through the Playwrights Union of Canada. The monologues
average less than two minutes in length and are divided into male and
female sections. The book provides an introduction to and overview of
the wide range of dramatic writing from the 1970s and 1980s by the 13
Canadian play publishers represented. Many of the monologues from newer
writers appear inconsequential. There are sufficient pieces from more
than two dozen well-established playwrights, however, whose monologues
would make excellent audition pieces both for their content and dramatic
form. The Perfect Piece unfortunately lacks any instructional material
about how to perform or prepare these monologues for an actual audition.
Richard Monette is quoted advising actors to “bring several
‘invented’ characterizations along with you: the text seldom
helps.”