Monologue Analysis: Island Town by Simon Longman
Character Context
Character: Kate
Age: Late teens to early 20s
Speaking to: Likely Sam and Pete, her closest friends
Synopsis
In Island Town, Kate delivers this monologue as a desperate plea to her friends, Sam and Pete. She expresses her overwhelming love for them and her desire to escape the toxic environment of their hometown. Through this speech, Kate portrays the suffocating reality of being stuck in a small, bleak town and her belief that freedom and a better life lie beyond their current horizon. The monologue embodies themes of love, hope, and the yearning for change.
Original Text
I love you alright? I love you so much it hurts. And what’s going on with you and your dad and your little sister is not for you to fix alright? You stay here you’ll end up just like your dad you know? Full of rage and shouting at nothing. So look at me. Right into my eyes and see that I’m doing this because I love you more than anyone ever could and I can’t think about anything but that. I can’t think about leaving without you because he’s always been right since he said it years and years ago. Home is wherever you both are. It isn’t bricks and parks and roads and shops. It’s wherever we are together. Alright? The blood running down the side of my face. That belongs to you. And I love you even more for doing that. You know? Because it shows you’re not a ghost. You’re real. And I think I love you so much I could explode. I could. I could burst how much I love you both. I feel like I could just fill up. Just fill up till I’m sick. Till I’m sick with it. Till I just throw up all the love out of my mouth and it would just be us in it all. Swimming in it. Swimming in all that love that’s around us. Just me and you and you as little islands in the middle of it. And I just think we should get in the car right now and go somewhere. Away from your dad and your brother and everything else. Alright? Let’s go. Anywhere. I don’t care. Just get to our horizon and see what’s after it because whatever it is it’s got to be better than this right? Right? Right? So let’s just go. Let’s just go now.
Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing
I love you alright? I love you so much it hurts. And what’s going on with you and your dad and your little sister is not for you to fix alright? You stay here you’ll end up just like your dad you know? Full of rage and shouting at nothing.
Kate begins by addressing her love and concern for one of her friends, imploring them to avoid the destructive patterns of their family.
So look at me. Right into my eyes and see that I’m doing this because I love you more than anyone ever could and I can’t think about anything but that.
She emphasizes the depth of her love, urging her friend to see her sincerity and intentions.
I can’t think about leaving without you because he’s always been right since he said it years and years ago. Home is wherever you both are. It isn’t bricks and parks and roads and shops. It’s wherever we are together. Alright?
Kate shares her definition of home, rooted in the presence of her friends rather than physical places.
The blood running down the side of my face. That belongs to you. And I love you even more for doing that. You know? Because it shows you’re not a ghost. You’re real.
She confronts her friend with a physical reminder of their conflict, interpreting it as evidence of their humanity and connection.
And I think I love you so much I could explode. I could. I could burst how much I love you both. I feel like I could just fill up. Just fill up till I’m sick. Till I’m sick with it. Till I just throw up all the love out of my mouth and it would just be us in it all. Swimming in it. Swimming in all that love that’s around us. Just me and you and you as little islands in the middle of it.
Kate conveys the overwhelming intensity of her emotions, using vivid imagery to illustrate her feelings.
And I just think we should get in the car right now and go somewhere. Away from your dad and your brother and everything else. Alright? Let’s go. Anywhere. I don’t care. Just get to our horizon and see what’s after it because whatever it is it’s got to be better than this right? Right? Right? So let’s just go. Let’s just go now.
She concludes with an impassioned call to escape, reinforcing her determination to leave behind their oppressive circumstances.
Journey Keypoints
Hook: Kate starts with an emotional declaration of love, immediately drawing in the audience.
Turning Point: She defines her concept of home as being with her friends, establishing the stakes of her plea.
Climax: Her intense imagery of love and connection reaches a fever pitch, highlighting her emotional desperation.
Resolution: She concludes with a plea to escape together, leaving the audience with a sense of urgency and hope.
About the Playwright: Simon Longman
Simon Longman is a British playwright from the West Midlands known for his explorations of rural life and human relationships. His works, such as Island Town, Gundog, and Rails, delve into themes of isolation, love, and the longing for escape. Longman’s writing often portrays the struggles of working-class communities, capturing the poignancy and complexity of their experiences with empathy and authenticity.
