A Dramatic Monologue Stops The Show

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 6:20pm

My friend was telling me about a regional theatre production of an original play he saw the other night. In it, he said he witnessed something he never saw before (and I never heard of before).

It was about a man contemplating slavery and how it came to be and humantiy. He directed it towards all of the slaves on his estate, and at the end he said something to the affect of "You are free," are for whatever reason that meant that he lost his estate and was homeless.

The monologue got applause that kept growing and growing and growing which stopped the scene cold and made the actor cry at its reaction.

It's more and more common for musical numbers to have large reactions and possibly stop the show. It's common for comedic monologues to get applause and reaction. But I've never seen or heard of a dramatic monologue getting that type of reaction that wasn't at the end of the play/act.

Anyone have similar experiences?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 6:37pm

Frank Langella got showstopping applause at yesterday's performance of FROST/NIXON, following the "phone call" sequence.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 6:40pm

It didn't necessarily stop the show at all, but Adrienne Lenox got tons of applause after her brilliantly delivered monologue in DOUBT.

[Weez]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 6:50pm

At least once in previews, Richard Griffiths got applause (not quite showstopping, but it was still monologue-applause) after his act 2 scene 25 monlogue in EQUUS.

I'd be upset if Langella didn't get post-phone call applause. I may be getting a bit broken-record-y here, but he's phenomenal, and that's a just plain AWESOME scene.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 8:04pm

I can remember a few, including:

-- Paul's monologue in ACL which routinely stops the show cold and gets a tremendous ovation in most productions I've seen of the show

-- Alan Bates' virtuoso extended drunk scene/monologue in FORTUNE'S FOOL got a huge round of applause when I saw it.

-- Several monologues in FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE..... routinely receive cheers and a loud ovation

-- I seem to recall applause at the end of one of James Earl Jones' speeches in FENCES

-- I remember Viola Davis getting exit applause after her remarkable performance of a scene in Act I of KING HEDLEY II

I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 9:41pm

I didn't see her, but my friends say Mercedes Ruehl stopped the show with her second act monologue in Lost in Yonkers.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 9:48pm

Jason Tam's now legendary "Paul" monologue had people in tears and the applause was very long.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 9:50pm

I seem to recall applause after Linda Lavin's wonderful Act II monologue from Simon's BROADWAY BOUND about dancing with George Raft in her youth.