*Theater seeks new duologues for it's 50th anniversary season* So says my local newspaper. Some online research gave me a grasp of what a duologue is, but I've no idea how to present it. This method looks tedious to me... Character 1 So, are you going to enter the duologue contest? Character 2 I'm not sure. Character 1 Why the uncertainty? Character 2 Because I don't know the conventions... you know, formatting and stuff? Character 1 Why don't you ask on the forum? Character 2 Good idea! I'd prefer to do it this way... So, are you going to enter the duologue contest? I'm not sure. Why the uncertainty? Because I don't know the conventions... you know, formatting and stuff? Why don't you ask on the forum? Good idea! Any tips and guidance welcome. Thanks.
I think, if it's a play, the first example is what they need - it looks like a script. The second one, while it isn't as tedious as the first, looks more like a conversation in a book than a script. What is the duologue supposed to be about?
It can be about anything at all. Besides being a chore to insert Character 1/Character 2 between every line, I think it breaks up the flow of the conversation.
I actually wrote a story before about four people who joined an online forum. One of them died, and the other three were devastated ... they didn't know what to do or how to get over the death of this one member... only to find out, the member was alive and only faked the death because he wanted out. It was NOT a good story to tell... didn't know how to end it. A Duologue might be easier - just two people talking. Yeah, the second pattern is easier.
If the piece is for a play, then it needs to be written with the charcter name as that is how scripts are prepared, for good reason. Yes, it does appear to break the flow if it is being read to oneself, but as a general rule, plays are not written to then be read privately. The speaker tags are necessary to help the actors keep track of who will be saying what, when. Script writing is by its very nature extremely different to prose writing, because its intended delivery is very different.
hahaha "So, do I read the part in italics and you read the part that is not in italics, or what?" "Oh I'm sorry that I keep saying your lines, there just isn't a clear indication of who is meant to be talking." "Hi, I'm a third actor.... is my dialogue in bold??" "Hi, I'm a fourth actor.... I guess I read the dialogue all written in.... ????? Numbers?"
@N.Phillips Thank you. I thought I might have got away with it as there are only two characters, but I guess it's not to be. @amerrigan Point made. Thanks. @Shadowfax Shot myself in the foot there, didn't I? Thanks to all for your input. As the deadline for this is nigh and my enthusiasm for it has gone, it'd please me if this thread was left to rest in peace now. Thanks.
