The Oberon Book of Modern Monologues for Women: Teens to Thirties

PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

by Duncan Macmillan

People, Places and Thingswas first performed at the Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, on 1 September 2015. It subsequently transferred to the West End.

The play centers on fun-loving actress Emma, who is addicted to drink and drugs and ends up in rehab.

Emma has just been challenged at rehab, where she has consistently refused to confess and admit she’s an addict. Emma storms off to pack but a member of the group follows her and provokes her into opening up.

EMMA – 30’s (UK)

With a play you get instructions. Stage directions. Dialogue. Someone clothes you. Tells you where to be and when. You get to live the most intense moments of a life over and over again, with all the boring bits left out. And you get to practise. For weeks. And you’re applauded. Then you get changed. Leave through stage door. Bus home. Back to real life. All the boring stuff left in. Waiting. Temping. Answering phones and serving canapés. Nothing permanent. Can’t plan. Can’t get a mortgage or pay for a car. Audition comes in. Try to look right. Sit in a room surrounded by people who look just like you, all after the same part. Never hear back. Or if you get the part it’ll be sitting around in rehearsal and backstage making less than you did temping. Make these friendships with people, a little family, fall in love onstage and off and then it’s over and you don’t see them again. You try not to take it personally when people who aren’t as good as you get the parts. When you go from being the sexy ingénue to the tired mother of three.

But you keep going because sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you get to be onstage and say things that are absolutely true, even if they’re made-up. You get to do things which feel more real to you, more authentic, more meaningful than anything in your own life. You get to speak poetry, words you would never think to say but which become yours as you speak them.

When he shall die

take him and cut him out in little stars,

and he will make the f