How to Nail an Improv Monologue
Monologues are a staple of premise-based improv. A good one can make the difference between a show that flows effortlessly and one that feels stunted. Yet, we rarely focus on what actually makes a monologue easy to pull from.
Experienced improvisers may say the content doesn’t matter—you can pull great premises from anything. That’s true if you’ve had years of practice. But for the rest of us, a strong monologue benefits from clear opinions, emotions, and characters.
Stepping out for a monologue can feel daunting. We stand on the backline, searching for a “funny” story. But monologues shouldn’t feel like stand-up routines—they should feel easy, natural, and a little messy. Think of them as the ramblings of the wonderfully weird human we all have inside us.
Ramble, Ramble, Ramble
Don’t stand on the backline overthinking. Step out before you even know what you’re going to say. The pressure of the moment will push you into fun, surprising territory.
When we talk without knowing where we’re going, we discover things rather than plan them. That’s far more useful than delivering a well-crafted but rigid story.
Start with an Emotion
An easy way to get into a monologue is to begin with a strong emotion tied to the suggestion.
I LOVE architecture! (Now figure out why in real time.)
I HATE peanut butter! (What’s so bad about it?)
I’m TERRIFIED of space! (Why so scary?)
This naturally generates opinions and playable perspectives for your team to build on.
Here are some great emotion-based opening lines:
I love [Word]
I hate [Word]
I am terrified of [Word]
I am suspicious of [Word]
[Word] makes me sad
I judge people who [Word]
I would never [Word]
I dream about [Word]
Be the Extreme Version of Yourself
Truth is important in monologues, but heightening that truth makes it more fun to play with. A 10/10 emotion is way more useful than a 5/10.
If you like LEGO, say you LOVE LEGO and then justify why. Comedy thrives on strong and unusual perspectives—lean into them.
Avoid Stories You’ve Told Before
It’s tempting to pull out a killer story you know gets laughs. Don’t. Those stories have already had their comedy mined. It’s like pulling from a sketch—the joke has already landed, making it harder to build something new.
Instead, tell a story you’ve never told before. It’ll be rougher and more surprising, which means more opportunities for your team to pull from.
Monologues shouldn’t feel like stand-up routines—they should feel easy, natural, and a little messy
Say One More Thing
Often, the best pull in a monologue is the last thing you almost didn’t say.
For example:
“I love flying—I mean, how crazy that we can circle the world in hours.”
This is fine, we have a character who loves flying.But add: “I just constantly feel like I’m living in the future.”
Now we have a character who is unusually impressed by everyday technology. We can play this POV anywhere, with anyone, and we can easily heighten it by focusing on increasingly trivial technology (“can you believe pockets man?! The future is now!”)
When you reach the end of a thought, push yourself to say one more thing. It’s often where the gold is hiding.
Let Your Mind Meander
If the suggestion is bread, don’t just talk about bread. Let your brain wander.
I don’t trust people who don’t eat bread. What else makes me suspicious?
Bread makes me think of money—how do I feel about money?
Shifting topics naturally broadens your monologue, giving your team more subjects to play with.
Don’t Try to Be Funny
We all want laughs, and it’s tough to stand alone and get none. But monologues aren’t about getting laughs—they’re about setting up the rest of the show. And some of the funniest monologues happen when the speaker isn’t trying to be funny at all. Let the humour emerge from strong opinions and unexpected discoveries, not planned “jokes”.
Keep It Short
I’ve told you to ramble, say one more thing, and meander—but don’t take that to mean your monologue should last forever.
1-2 minutes is plenty (Or however long your format allows.) Monologues are the setup, not the show itself. Give your team just enough, then get out.
Monologues can feel intimidating, especially if you don’t know what to say. But that’s often the best place to start. Try to practice with the above advice, but don’t overthink it when you’re on stage.
Trust that if you just start talking, something great will come out and your team will love you for it.
