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Cock

John monologue from Cock

John’s monologue from the play Cock by Mike Bartlett. A dramatic piece for men with a playing age of 20s–30s, running about 1:30.

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The full speech. Read it out loud twice before you start working it.

John’s monologue

I’m sorry I’m not speaking, I’m sorry, I know it’s weird but I’m trying to work out how to handle this who to be because I’m two different people with the two of you when you’re separate and now I’m in the middle and no one.

I have absolutely no idea who I am. Everyone else seems to have a personality, a character but I’ve never, I’ve never – I used to do voices, I remember this, and I don’t think anyone can really understand it when I say it but I remember one moment when I couldn’t think what was my own voice, I’d been doing high voices and northern voices and men’s voices and impressions of the teachers and my dad, and people on the telly and everyone was laughing and I tried to go back to my own voice but I couldn’t remember what it is.

And I always stand in front of the mirror for ages, every day I never know what to wear, when I go shopping for clothes I bring him and he says it’s up to you, what do you like, and I think I don’t know I don’t have a fucking clue just choose something that isn’t too strange, that means I don’t look like a fucking idiot.

Excerpt for study and audition practice. Read the full play for context.

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About Cock

Play by Mike Bartlett · 2009

  • Mike Bartlett's play premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2009.

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