MONOLOGUES
PING
by Philip Jamieson
Suitable for Grade 1
Stage directions
Riley is holding an old tennis ball and telling a friend what happened to Ping, a beloved family pet dog.
Excerpt
Riley
I’ve really missed my dog, Ping. It’s been a week now. This is the ball I used to throw for him when we went to the park.
(Smelling the ball) It still smells of him, like an old, damp sofa. He never got bored with fetching this smelly old ball for me. Over and over again I’d throw it, he would run as fast as he could to catch it, and then bring it back to me. I loved the way he looked so thrilled when he dropped this soggy ball at my feet.
Riley drops the ball on the ground, picks it up then bounces it a few times on the ground.
I’ll tell you what happened: Last week, when I came home from school, Mum was standing at the front door waiting for me. She had a serious look on her face. I could tell that something was wrong because mum was always happy to see me when I got home…
Hints & tips
- This monologue is ideal for Grade 1 exams – but can also be used at other levels.
- The character Riley can be male or female.
- Act out the scene as if you are talking to your friend.
- Make sure you sound really surprised when you see Ping again.
- You will need a tennis ball as a prop. Practice bouncing it on the ground and catching it again.
