The Children's Monologues


The Children's Monologues was a theatrical performance, produced by Amber Sainsbury at Old Vic Theatre in London on 14 November 2010 and at Royal Court Theatre on 25 October 2015 for the benefit of Dramatic Need. It featured the adapted stories of children’s first-hand experiences in South Africa being retold and re-interpreted by and performed by actors such as Sir Ben Kingsley, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Kit Harington, Gemma Arterton and Eddie Redmayne, directed by Danny Boyle.

Synopsis

The play was performed on 7 February, in the lead-up to World Aids Day 2010, with 15 actors, 7 writers and director Danny Boyle participating. The play was dedicated to the work of Dramatic Need and intended to raise money for the Pete Patsa Arts Centre. Writers adapted 12 monologues from personal tales handwritten by children living in abysmal conditions in rural South Africa. These monologues were performed on stage by the actors at the Old Vic Theatre in London.

The stories

The Children’s Monologues soliloquize the testimonies and re-lived memories of young people, some still small children. Some struggled with horrible realities of death and violence, while others shared cherished moments of rare and short-lived happiness. The monologues ranged from light hearted tales of birthday parties and the joy of birthday oranges, to a redemptive tale of a gangster-gone-good to absolutely harrowing, brutally raw stories of rape and violation.

Cast

The music for the event was arranged by Paul Gladstone-Reid. He incorporated original recordings of the children reading their stories in Sesotho and Tswana into the score. A youth choir also performed on the night.