metalcherry

I require some advice on a monologue I have just performed for a mock LAMDA exam.
I have never acted before so I am quite new to it but I picked a piece from Designing Women which is an acceptance speech.

I blocked it, sorted my hand movements and positions and did my piece for the exam yesterday.

They said I was word perfect (however I do need to watch my prenounciation as I have a problem prenouncing “th’s” but other than that they were quite happy with my beginners attempt.

However, the only real critism was that the piece was TOO REAL. The piece I have is a character whom has heard some terrible chat about her and her recent weight gain at a reunion but shes came above it and realized that its not important and she is suppost to be confident and unaffected by these comments.
I picked the piece because its quite close to my own experiences (being a bigger girl myself) which they complemented me on as I know what the main character is going through but they told me they want me to inject “colour” into the piece.

I performed the piece to what I thought a confident proud woman character would do but I am unsure what they mean about “colour”, I never got a chance to ask them further questions as it was basically in-perform-some comments-out and I have to work on this piece over the summer holidays and re-perform it.

Can someone advise me what I could do to maybe improve my performance, I have put the monologue below just incase anyone wants to see it but im still confused by the comments.

Oh and they also told me I have to work on my highs and lows but I have marked my highs and lows but i think I was just nervous and never did them properly.

Any advise at all would be great.

It's just human nature. People love to see beautiful women get old or fat.
All my life I've had to fight my weight, and I admit, food has been my security blanket. But also, I just gain weight more easily than some people, like you...(spots woman in audience) you've always had that tiny waist and those skinny little legs. But I can't be that, and people have always tried to make me be that.
The point is it's different for women, especially beautiful women. Just look at Elizabeth Taylor. I bet I've seen National Velvet maybe twenty times, and if she never did anything else in her life, what a contribution that was. But all of a sudden because she got fat, it was like she no longer had the right to live in this country. That's how I feel right now. Drugs, alcohol, cancer whatever your problems, people are sympathetic unless you're fat, and then you're supposed to be ashamed. I mean, everything is set up to tell you that; magazine covers, clothes. 'If you're not thin, you're not neat, and that's it.' And if looks are all you've ever had...?

Well, this is quite a surprise. I guess maybe I deserve this award for the Person-Most-Changed, but not for the reason you think. Last night I got my feelings hurt because I came to this reunion thinking I was beautiful, and what I found out was that I'm fat at least you think I am. But that isn't the biggest change in me. The biggest change is that the old Suzanne wouldn't have shown up here tonight. She would've just gotten thin before the next reunion and then she would have gotten even. But I'm a little older, and I hope a little wiser than that person used to be.

A lot of things have happened to me. A lot of things have happened to all of us. Sandy Smothers was killed the night before we graduated. Diane Mitchell's got two sets of twins, and Gayland Chadwick's working in the White House. We had a lot of dreams together, and there's no point in pretending; some of mine came true, and some didn't.

I met a little boy from Africa tonight whose family died of starvation, and I realized that I spent the whole day at home worrying about the fact that I had too much to eat. I'm not sure the old Suzanne would have appreciated the absurdity of that, but this one does.

Some of you men wanted to know about my bra size, but I'd rather talk about my heart because it's a little bigger than it used to be. The old Suzanne wouldn't have forgiven you for the things that you said, but this one will. Because when I look around this room tonight, I don't see receding hairlines and the beginnings of pot-bellies and crow's feet I just see all the beautiful faces of old girlfriends and sweet young boys who used to stand on my front porch and try to kiss me goodnight. And you can remember me any way you'd like, but that's how I'll always remember you.

And so I thank you for giving me this award for the Person-Most-Changed, however you intended it. I'm gonna treasure it because, #1 I love trophies and #2 I earned it.