One eye closed, the other locked on my target.' Monologues are a crucial element of theatre, for actors and students alike. From high school study to professional auditions and performances, the monologue exposes the heart of a play and the capacities of the performer. The monologue should be relevant to the performer, and a revelation to the audience. This new collection brings together 30 monologues from contemporary Australian plays. These voices -- from ages 14 to 84, from the 1880s to the near future -- showcase the best of our national writing for the stage. Featuring monologues written by: Donna Abela; Jada Alberts; Angela Betzien; Andrew Bovell; Melissa Bubnic; Mary Anne Butler; Justine Campbell & Sarah Hamilton; Stephen Carleton; Katherine Thomson, Angela Chaplin & Kavisha Mazzella; Elizabeth Coleman; Patricia Cornelius; Wesley Enoch; Jane Montgomery Griffiths; Rashma N. Kalsie; Daniel Keene; Finegan Kruckemeyer; Suzie Miller; Kate Mulvany & Craig Silvey; Terence O’connell; Debra Oswald; Lachlan Philpott; Leah Purcell; Caroline Reid; Damien Ryan; Samah Sabawi; Stephen Sewell; Ninna Tersman; Alana Valentine.