With the Essex Final of MonologueSlam UK taking place at the Mercury Theatre Colchester on Monday 7 November, 3 Minute Round finalist Yasmin Jafri tells us about her experience of the competition so far…
I first heard about MonologueSlam UK this summer and was really excited to learn that they were doing auditions in Essex as the London venue was already fully booked. What really interested me about the competition was the fact that we could write our own material, unlike the usual auditions you attend. My monologue is about a woman who is trying to come out to her mum, without much success. I just felt that there wasn’t much material relating to British LGBT characters, so I decided to write a dramatic piece that is delivered in a comical, almost satirical way.
On the day of my audition, I got stuck in traffic for two hours in the pouring rain (and ironically my window wipers broke as well). Despite running to the venue, I ended up being late, drenched, and completely disorientated, which I think probably helped to get me into character! However, the whole experience was completely welcoming and unlike any other audition I’d ever gone to – they really care, and want you to do your best, which was instantly reassuring.
In the weeks leading up to the final I’ve been getting fresh ideas for my piece, which is great because I already feel completely comfortable with the monologue, so it allows me to experiment with different styles and tones.
Overall it’s been a great experience. I really love that the TriForce team have made every effort to make this competition accessible to everyone by making it free to audition, and it acts as a useful networking tool as well. It is also an incredibly diverse environment, which I think is something that our industry has been lacking in recent times.
To come and support Yasmin and the other finalists, get your tickets here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lm2BNL8gFo
Newer Blog Post Older Blog Post Back to Blog
