Rehana’s Monologue from Angel by Henry Naylor
"Breathing heavily, panicked; she’s been running..."
Overview of Angel
Angel by Henry Naylor is a powerful and poetic one-woman play inspired by the true story of a Kurdish resistance fighter. It explores the journey of Rehana, a young woman who transitions from a law student with dreams of justice to a fierce warrior battling ISIS. This monologue, filled with visceral imagery and emotional tension, captures the moment of Rehana’s loss of innocence and sets the stage for her transformation into the legendary "Angel of Kobane."
Character Breakdown: Rehana
Name: Rehana
Age: 12 (in the memory being recounted), 19 (in the play's present timeline)
Background: A Kurdish girl raised by a progressive father who taught her to value equality and courage. Her idyllic life is shattered by war, leading her to make impossible choices.
Who the Character is Talking To in This Moment: The audience. Rehana addresses us directly, recounting a vivid memory that shaped her character.
What’s Just Happened: Rehana, as a child, has just witnessed her dog, Bizou, being mauled by a jackal. Her father arrives and kills the jackal but insists that Rehana must shoot Bizou herself, marking her first confrontation with violence and death.
The Monologue
"Breathing heavily, panicked; she’s been running. Snarls and yelps amongst the trees.
A desperate fight for life.
The air hot and fetid in the orchard, like a predator’s breath.
‘Bizou? Bizou?’ I cry.
I am twelve. Running through the pistachios. ‘Where are you, Bizou?’
I find the dog limping, bleeding.
Circled by a huge jackal. Foaming, bloodied muzzle.
The monster twitches. Shakes its head at the sky; sowing drools of madness into the soil.
Then turns fury on me.
Snarling, baring teeth. It charges, leaps.
I flinch expecting its bite.
A zip. Thud.
...suddenly, the jackal’s head explodes in a spray of blood and tissue.
What...??
Am stupid with shock. Gaping like an idiot.
The jackal, leaking red, into the thirsty soil. ‘Angel, Angel! You okay?!’
My father.
Running up, sniper rifle in hand.
He hugs me ferociously.
‘You bitten?’
‘No.’
‘...Bizou?’
Poor Bizou, limping, showing me the whites of his eyes. ‘...Yes.’
‘Aye aye aye,’ he says, sadly. ‘There is nothing we can do for him.’
He holds the gun out, says gently. ‘Shoot him.’ ‘What... ?’
‘Shoot Bizou. This is a lesson you must learn.’
...The next time I see the gun, I’m seventeen.”
Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing
“Breathing heavily, panicked; she’s been running. Snarls and yelps amongst the trees. A desperate fight for life.”
Commentary: The opening immerses us immediately in a high-stakes scenario. The sensory details—snarls, yelps, and the suffocating air—create an atmosphere of danger. Actors should focus on the breathlessness and urgency, letting the audience feel the panic and exhaustion.
“The air hot and fetid in the orchard, like a predator’s breath. ‘Bizou? Bizou?’ I cry. I am twelve. Running through the pistachios. ‘Where are you, Bizou?’”
Commentary: Rehana’s desperate search for her dog humanizes her and contrasts sharply with the danger of the scene. Her young age and innocence make her vulnerability palpable. Use this to evoke empathy from the audience.
“I find the dog limping, bleeding. Circled by a huge jackal. Foaming, bloodied muzzle. The monster twitches. Shakes its head at the sky; sowing drools of madness into the soil. Then turns fury on me.”
Commentary: This is the visual and emotional heart of the memory. The vivid description of the jackal emphasizes its menace. Actors should lean into the horror and helplessness Rehana feels in this moment.
“Snarling, baring teeth. It charges, leaps. I flinch expecting its bite. A zip. Thud. ...suddenly, the jackal’s head explodes in a spray of blood and tissue.”
Commentary: The suddenness of the jackal’s death is jarring, mirroring Rehana’s shock. Actors should play this moment with raw, unfiltered reaction—fear transforming into disbelief.
“What...?? Am stupid with shock. Gaping like an idiot. The jackal, leaking red, into the thirsty soil. ‘Angel, Angel! You okay?!’ My father. Running up, sniper rifle in hand. He hugs me ferociously.”
Commentary: The shift here introduces a sense of safety and relief as her father enters. The contrast between the violence and the protective embrace should be highlighted to reflect the complexity of the moment.
“‘You bitten?’ ‘No.’ ‘...Bizou?’ Poor Bizou, limping, showing me the whites of his eyes. ‘...Yes.’”
Commentary: This exchange slows the pace, allowing the emotional weight to sink in. Actors should let the sorrow build gradually, with Rehana’s realization of Bizou’s fate hitting harder with each word.
“‘Aye aye aye,’ he says, sadly. ‘There is nothing we can do for him.’ He holds the gun out, says gently. ‘Shoot him.’ ‘What... ?’ ‘Shoot Bizou. This is a lesson you must learn.’”
Commentary: This is the monologue’s climax, where innocence meets brutality. Rehana’s disbelief and reluctance should be palpable. Her father’s firmness contrasts with her emotional fragility, creating a powerful tension.
“...The next time I see the gun, I’m seventeen.”
Commentary: The final line is haunting. It foreshadows Rehana’s future, marking this as a defining moment in her life. Deliver it with a sense of inevitability, as if the weight of what’s to come is already pressing on her.
Journey Keypoints
Hook: The chaotic, life-threatening search for Bizou.
Turning Point: The moment Rehana witnesses her father’s lethal precision and faces her first confrontation with mortality.
Climax: Her father’s insistence that she shoot Bizou herself—a lesson in the harshness of survival.
Resolution: The ominous foreshadowing of Rehana’s transformation as she recalls seeing the gun again at seventeen.
Performance Tips
Balance Innocence and Strength:
This monologue begins with the innocence of a 12-year-old but transitions into the harsh realities of war. Let the audience witness this transformation as the story unfolds.Use the Visual Imagery:
The text is rich in sensory detail—snarls, blood, heat, and the orchard. Bring these elements to life with your tone and physicality to immerse the audience fully.Heighten the Emotional Journey:
From fear to sorrow to reluctant acceptance, the monologue is a rollercoaster of emotions. Honour each beat, letting them flow naturally into one another.
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