Boone County High School Forensics

 

Humorous Interpretation 

 

HI is similar to DI; the only difference is that the piece is humorous instead of serious. All rules that apply to DI also apply to HI. The piece can be a monologue or a dialogue, and it can be a published excerpt from a longer work. Acceptable pieces include excerpts from:

 

  • Plays

  • Short stories

  • Novels or books

  • TV shows

  • Movies

 

The maximum time is ten minutes, including an introduction. The introduction must include:

  • Title of the piece

  • Author of the piece

  • Background information of the piece.

 

In HI, you are allowed to use transitions, such as song lyrics, but this cannot comprise more than 10% of the written content. Movement is restricted to within an area of ten feet in diameter. Acceptable movement includes bending, turning, pivoting, etc.

 

If your HI has multiple characters, you should use offstage focus in your eye contact when one character is speaking to another. This means you should look at different places for different characters. If the character/speaker is addressing the audience, then making eye contact with the audience is okay.

 

Tips and Tricks:

  • Just like DI, all your characters should have distinct voices, stances, character expressions, etc. However, in HI, you have the opportunity to be a little more creative and expressive. To create humor and entertainment, you can toe the line between realistic characterization and exaggeration.

 

  •  It is important in HI that all your characters do not sound and look the same. Practice in front of a friend or family member and ask if any of your characters seem the same. If so, you may need to choose a different voice or stance.

 

  • Accents are a great way to distinguish characters, but they’re not the only ones, and they can be hard to do. If you’re having trouble portraying an accent, consider other ways to show differences in voice, such as making your voice lower/higher, lengthening/shortening your speech, etc.

 

  • While your piece should be humorous, even the blandest document can be made funny by a strong performer. Use your body language, movement, facial expressions, and voice to convey humor.

 

For more detailed practicing tips, check out the KHSSL handbook. (HI starts on page25).