Two-Women Classical Scenes?

edh...@nospambest.com

unread,

Jan 14, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/14/98

to

I frequently advise my female acting students who are in search of
2-women classical scenes to migrate a hundred years or so, from
Shakespeare to Moliere. Moliere wrote many vibrant women's roles.

I'd be interested in compiling a list of good 2-women classical scenes.

I'll start:

"Tartuffe" -- Dorine and Mariane -- Act 2, scene 3. Dorine the maid
admonishes Mariane for not standing up to her father, who is trying to
marry her off to a man she doesn't love.

Ed Hooks

Kimberlyn Crowe

unread,

Jan 15, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/15/98

to

Say, Ed, you're not by chance "researching" your next book, are you....?

How about "The Merry Wives of Windsor" ? There are several nice scenes between the Mistresses Ford & Page.

Kimberlyn Crowe
The Actors Group http://www.actorsgroup.com
...for actors who want to WORK
214.953.1400

edh...@nospambest.com

unread,

Jan 15, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/15/98

to

Kimberlyn Crowe wrote:

> Say, Ed, you're not by chance "researching" your next book, are you....?

<GG> Nah. I'm working on a couple of other writing projects right now
and am not planning a classical-scene reference book. Although I admit
I have not checked to see if there is a good one out there. Mainly, I'm
focusing on women's roles. It seems I am ALWAYS searching for good
female/female scenes, and the search is all the more difficult when it
comes to the classics. In my classes, I sometimes get women to play
men's roles! Recently, for example, two of them did a scene from
"Othello".

Shakespeare did not write a lot of strong women in their 30's and 40's.
We've got a bunch of late teens, early 20's, but then the pickings start
getting slim. Lady Macbeth, Kate.... And most of the scenes are
male/female anyway.

>
> How about "The Merry Wives of Windsor" ? There are several nice scenes between the Mistresses Ford & Page.

Good idea.

Ed Hooks

edh...@nospambest.com

unread,

Jan 15, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/15/98

to

Kimberlyn Crowe wrote:
> I've got the same problem Ed describes: I'm in the "middle ages" for Shakespeare, i.e. not
> Juliet and not her nurse!...

As I mentioned earlier, Moliere is a fruitful source. And, usually,
auditors will accept Moliere as a classical choice instead of
Shakespeare. Richard Wilbur did fabulous translations of "Tartuffe" and
"Misanthrope". Also "Learned Ladies", I think. Great monologues in all
those plays.

Ed Hooks

Kimberlyn Crowe

unread,

Jan 16, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/16/98

to

On Thu, 15 Jan 1998 02:21:18 +0000, edh...@NOSPAMbest.com wrote:

>focusing on women's roles. It seems I am ALWAYS searching for good
>female/female scenes, and the search is all the more difficult when it
>comes to the classics. In my classes, I sometimes get women to play
>men's roles! Recently, for example, two of them did a scene from
>"Othello".
>
>Shakespeare did not write a lot of strong women in their 30's and 40's.
>We've got a bunch of late teens, early 20's, but then the pickings start
>getting slim. Lady Macbeth, Kate.... And most of the scenes are
>male/female anyway.

I'd be interested to hear from everyone else out there - I've got the same problem Ed describes: I'm in the "middle ages" for Shakespeare, i.e. not

Juliet and not her nurse!

I've used a monologue from Henry IV (Constance) and one of the Mistresses from Merry Wives in previous auditions. Not sure I'm on the right track for
me with either one. Searching around now for upcoming Dallas Shakespeare Festival audition piece. May have to re-cycle both of the above, but would
rather not.

BTW, we have a book in our library called "The Actors Book of Classical Monologues" collected by Stefan Rudnicki published by Penguin - seems to be
pretty good.

Happy Hunting!

Kimberlyn Crowe

unread,

Jan 16, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/16/98

to

On Thu, 15 Jan 1998 19:25:13 +0000, edh...@NOSPAMbest.com wrote:

>Kimberlyn Crowe wrote:
>> I've got the same problem Ed describes: I'm in the "middle ages" for Shakespeare, i.e. not

>> Juliet and not her nurse!...
>
>As I mentioned earlier, Moliere is a fruitful source. And, usually,
>auditors will accept Moliere as a classical choice instead of
>Shakespeare. Richard Wilbur did fabulous translations of "Tartuffe" and
>"Misanthrope". Also "Learned Ladies", I think. Great monologues in all
>those plays.
>
>Ed Hooks

Thanks, Ed.

I love Moliere - due to a schedule conflict I missed out on auditioning for "The Misathrope" at Stage West in Ft. Worth. Would have loved doing that
play. Seems it's opend to favorable comments, too. (guess that means we ain't all jest hicks her in Texas.... ;)