# Political monologues for women **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515 "2017-07-31T16:22:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/1 "2017-07-31T16:22:13Z")
I have a young co-star in a play who needs an audition piece for a class that has to do with political or patriotic themes. Has to be from a published dramatic or comedic work- can’t be a political speech- and preferably recent (last 40 years anyway). I’m not sure if something from VEEP or another TV show or movie would count, so I’d prefer a play. I’m not that informed about modern political drama. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks J ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/2 "2017-07-31T17:30:34Z")
First, I wouldn’t limit your search to monologues originally written for women - there’s no reason she can’t read a speech for an audition that was originally intended for a man. Second, some play suggestions: _Farragut North_ by Beau Willimon _Stuff Happens_ by David Hare _The Return to Morality_ by Jamie Pachino _Father Comes Home From the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3_ by Suzan-Lori Parks ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/3 "2017-07-31T18:44:38Z")
There must be something good in _The Contender_ by Rod Lurie, about a female Vice Presidential nominee. If she doesn’t mind being the villain, check out _The Manchurian Candidate_ by George Axelrod. Angela Lansbury was in the 1962 original; Meryl Streep was in the 2004 remake. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/4 "2017-07-31T18:51:51Z")
I would think Lady MacBeth has uttered something appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/5 "2017-07-31T22:13:05Z")
How long does it have to be? Can it be from the black comedy _Fargo_? **Marge Gunderson** [to Gaear] So, that was Mrs. Lundegaard on the floor in there. And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper. And those three people in Brainerd. And for what? For a little bit of money? There’s more to life than a little money, you know. Don’tcha know that? And here ya are, and it’s a beautiful day. Well. I just don’t understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/6 "2017-07-31T22:31:47Z")
You don’t say how young the co-star is, but _The Vagina Monologues_ is loaded with political passages. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/7 "2017-08-01T01:02:17Z")
Try CJ Cregg’s monologue on guns in _In The Shadow Of The Gunmen Part II_ episode of _The West Wing_. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/8 "2017-08-01T02:24:26Z")
Elizabeth I’s Tilbury speech [Elizabeth I's Tilbury Speech - The Virgin Queen [BBC 2005] - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbjj9Nmn6ZU) Just about anything by Malala Yousafzai Barabara Jordan’s speech at the Watergate impeachment hearings, or her DNC keynote address. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/9 "2017-08-01T02:35:53Z")
Does it have to be from a play? There are some absolutely brilliant little speeches in the TV series _Yes, Minister_. > [@](#): > > James Hacker: Humphrey, do you think it’s a good idea to issue a statement? > > Sir Humphrey Appleby: Well, Minister, in practical terms we have the usual six options. One, do nothing. Two, issue a statement deploring the speech. Three, lodge an official protest. Four, cut off aid. Five, break off diplomatic relations; and six, declare war. > > James Hacker: Which should we do? > > Sir Humphrey Appleby: Well, if we do nothing we implicitly agree with the speech. Two: if we issue a statement we’ll just look foolish. Three: if we lodge a protest it will be ignored. Four: we can’t cut off aid because we don’t give them any. Five: if we break off diplomatic relations we can’t negotiate the oil rig contracts. And six: if we declare war it might just look as though we were over-reacting. > > Martin - Foreign Secretary: In the old days we’d have sent in a gunboat. > > Sir Humphrey Appleby: Yes. > > James Hacker: I suppose that is absolutely out of the question. I could probably find something a bit more monologue-y. There’s a good bit where Hacker explains who reads the different British newspapers. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-monologues-for-women/792515/10 "2017-08-01T12:46:27Z")
Limiting myself to plays of fairly recent vintage: Your friend might consider the work of Amy Herzog, particularly her 2010 play _After the Revolution_, which is about a young woman who comes from a family with a tradition of Marxism, coming to understand her grandfather’s blacklisting during the McCarthy era. If you can find it (I don’t know if the script has ever been commercially published), Holland Taylor wrote and performed a one-woman play called _Ann_, about Texas governor Ann Richards. If “patriotic” is not limited to American patriotism, there is also Peter Morgan’s 2013 play _The Audience_, which is about the weekly meetings between Queen Elizabeth II and her prime ministers, starting with Churchill and going through David Cameron. Morgan also wrote the movie _The Queen_, and is the creator of the current Netflix series _The Crown_.