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Theatre of the 7 Directions and all your fellow Questers.

The Rememberers

Joanna’s last Monologue in Confessions 2024

JOANNA – PHOTOGRAPHER
I am in a relationship. It’s quite recent but… incredibly special. This partner is not at all like the others. I had many lovers in my life, man and women, I have always been the one taking the initiative and doing the break ups, (pause) I never liked feeling tight… But this time… this time is different. I didn’t pick her, she picked me. Her name is LITHDA, Life Threatening Disease, I know what you are thinking now, here we go, a poor sick woman trying to make her situation sounds “rosy”. No it’s not the case. I am a war photographer, a pretty good one, I won the International Photography Award with a shot I took in Libanon. I don’t do “rosy”… I do “real”. For the very first time in my life I have a partner who is empowering me. She is gifting me with the power of the moment. The perfect moment, the present. The only moment that is. I travelled everywhere to capture the perfect moment and now I look outside of my window and I see the world and I see me in the world. The perfection of a bird’s plumage reflected in my eyes, the color of snow, which is not just white, the smell of rain as it travels up my nostrils into my blood. I am present in everything and I am everything in that moment. Is this not the gift of love? You see, this is all we want in life, but it is not out there. (she points out to herself with her finger) We are the best photograph. My partner is giving me the joy to enjoy life, I am free.(pause) The photo I took in Libanon… it was an old woman with gorgeous green eyes looking at her house that had been destroyed by a bomb, but she wasn’t looking at the house, she was looking at a small kitten covered in dust sleeping on what it had been her front door. She was smiling at the kitten, the house was just the background.

My last Monologue for Joanna 2025

Joanna enters the stage and look for someone in the audience, she hesitates. She holds a script in her right hand.

JOANNA: May I? Sorry to disturb you… you must be busy, but this won’t take long. I just arrived and I am… a bit confused? Yes, I suppose confused is the right word. No, it’s not about the journey. The transition was… unexpectedly pleasant, considering the circumstances. So… thank you. Mr… God? Shall I call you God? (pause, still embarassed) As I said, I’m not here to discuss my departure from earth. (Pause) I’m here because of THIS. (She shows the script)

Don’t pretend you don’t know anything about it. I know you put it in my room. It’s a play; my role is the one underlined in red, isn’t it? I would play the Empress. (she smiles ironically) Epic… (Pause, embarrassment. After hesitating, she finally speaks boldly) Did you write it? I mean… the story has… potential… but the writing is… how can I put it? It lacks personality. Sorry… I said it. (Pause. Pondering if speaking or not) And I completely disagree with the ending for my character. I’m afraid you’ll need to rewrite it. (She takes courage) A good play requires commitment from its author. You can’t just throw characters around like… like… well, like mortals, I suppose.

(She pauses, the irony hitting her) Oh. Oh, that’s rather the point, isn’t it? (A longer pause as understanding dawns) Well. That’s… actually quite clever. Infuriating, but clever. Look, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll serve as your editor, clearly needed, and I can train the other actors too. In my final years on earth, I was part of a theatre company: “Existential Method Acting.” You inhabit your role so completely that you forget it’s a performance. (She gestures grandly) Imagine: angels who truly believe they’re angels, saints who’ve forgotten they’re acting saintly. I’d say it’s rather… divine, wouldn’t you? (She extends her hand) Partners?

This is the last monologue, Joanna.
As usual, remember the pauses. Don’t forget to breathe.
And break the script into bubbles, just like I taught you.
Before you ask, yes, you can do it!
You’re going to be truly epic in this role. I know it.

Now that you’ll have Chekhov, Artaud, and Beckett writing for you,
don’t accept anything less than the lead. You are precious!
It won’t take long for them to notice.

As for me, I’ll find you in every monologue I write.
We’ll meet there, between the words on the page and the breath on the stage.
See you there.

With love,

Laura

Laura Pasetti

I am a theatre quester, passionate about life on earth and human beings. I have been in the theatre field for 35 years. It is my mission and my prayer.