The Chair
ActorLab Original
GenderFemale
ToneDramatic
StyleNaturalistic
MediumFilm
Words168
Duration1m 30s
grieflossmemorylovehealing
Context
A woman in her living room, standing near an old armchair that belonged to her late husband. A well-meaning friend or family member has just told her it is time to move on.
Character Analysis
Play against the grief — she is not falling apart. She is clear, grounded, and defending something she knows others find irrational. The strength is in her certainty. The crack comes on "pat the armrest twice" — that specific memory is where she might lose composure.
I kept the chair.
Everyone told me to get rid of it—like grief is a stain you can scrub out if you throw away the furniture. But I kept it because it still… remembers him.
It's ridiculous, I know. Wood doesn't remember. Upholstery doesn't hold a life.
But if I sit right here, I can hear him clearing his throat before he pretended not to be emotional. I can see the way he'd pat the armrest twice before standing up—like a little "thank you."
And then you came in last week and said, "It's time to move on," like I'm late to an appointment.
I am moving on. I go to work. I laugh at dumb shows. I buy groceries.
But moving on doesn't mean erasing.
So the chair stays. Not because I'm stuck—because I'm still someone who loved him.
This monologue is an ActorLab Original — free to use for auditions, class, and practice.
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