I’m 17 and the pupil is 15 and we wish to go to land style rivalry in terpsichore acting… We would favour a rattling queer piece. Any suggestions?

2 Responses to “What is a really funny piece for a boy and a girl to perform at competition?”

1. DraMuse
   January 30th, 2010 @ 11:30 am

   You could like this:
   All the best

2. ForensicsFriend
   January 31st, 2010 @ 4:12 am

   Hi, there!

   Duet is an awesome event, and there are several great speech pieces out there. You could do a piece that was written specifically for speech competition, such as “Titanic Abridged” or “History of Television Condensed.”

   You could also take a novel or movie script that you enjoy and cut it down to make it into a piece. For some examples of great comedies, you could check out the Top 50 list of comedies on Internet Movie Database or go to your local bookstore and look in the comedy section. I’ve seen people perform selections from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Jurassic Park,” and “The Princess Bride.”

   A really funny script to do since you’re a guy/girl team would be “Twilight.” You could use the original script, but interpret the lines and scenes in a funny way — there are tons of parody videos of it that use the lines from the movie.

   While you can find tons of great scripts written specifically for speech, I would strongly recommend getting a larger play and cutting it down yourself, because this will guarantee originality and that will set you apart from others in competition.

   Here’s some advice from a blog post on how to edit a speech piece to fit the time requirement:

   “1)Choose a script. Read some plays or watch a few films to scope out what’s available. Search online for screenplays you can order. Make a list of your strongest points as a performer and try to find a manuscript that incorporates as many of them as possible. Check out LisSchemensky’s “How to Choose A Piece” video (http://www.forensicscommunity.com/content/featured-video-how-choose-piece) for more great tips on finding a winner.

   2)Research the rules. If you’re not sure about the rules concerning plays and cuttings as governed by your district, consult your coach. Don’t waste hours of your life cutting “Chicago” only to find out that the NFL just banned all pieces that mention jazz or liquor. (Relax, it didn’t.)

   3)Read the script. The whole thing. Yes, even if it’s a 250-page-long play, you should at least skim through all of the pages to make sure you’re not missing out on a great line or a tragic element in the character’s story.

   4)Ignore previous cuttings. If you already have a great piece that just needs tweaking, stick to it – but if you’re starting from scratch or working on a major revision, you should construct your own cutting without referencing other adaptations of the script. You’ll end up with an original end product that better suits your requirements as an actor.

   5)Make it your own. This is your chance to make the piece perfect for you! If you can’t sing, cut out the singing parts. (Please.) If you can’t do that Scottish accent (and you don’t feel like portraying the character as a mumbler or a robot), delete some of his lines – or omit his part altogether if the piece makes sense without him.

   6)Consider structure. Every good speech piece has an intriguing beginning, a story that builds slowly and reveals new things about its characters, a climax, and a swift conclusion.”

   There’s an extended version of this here:

   Best of luck.
   Hope this helps you out!

   -ForensicsFriend

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