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A monologue is a speech by one person directly addressing an audience. An opening monologue is often a segment of stand up comedy, such as at the beginning of The Tonight Show.
In a monologue, the actor need not be alone, however, none of the supporting cast (in theatre or film) speaks. When the actor is alone, perhaps thinking out loud, this is a soliloquy, not a monologue.
There are two basic types of monologues:
Exterior monologue: This is where the actor speaks to another person who is not in the performance space or to the audience.
Interior monologue: This is where the actor speaks as if to himself or herself. It is introspective and reveals the inner motives to the audience.
The monologue is an artform in and of itself, but it has always been part of larger, dialogue-based, plays for its provision of another angle in relating to the audience and getting inside a character's inner life.
Famous monologists include Jack Parr, Bill Cosby, and Eric Bogosian.
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