Duologues for All Accents and Ages

Book excerpt: This is a volume of scenes for two characters, hence duologues. The authors have selected meaty scenes from major plays, as well as from a few wonderful ones not well known. Here Jack and Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, Yvan and Marc in Art, Cecile and the Marquise de Merteuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Mozart and Constanze in Amadeus, as well as two-character scenes from The Killing of Sister George, Kindertransport, The Crucible, and dozens of other works. Duologues provide a concentrated way of practicing skills and encourage actors to listen and respond. Helpful advice is given in the book by contributors such as Tom Stoppard, April De Angelis and Don Taylor.