Definition

Noun: 1. A performer who delivers a monologue: A monologist is an entertainer, typically a comedian, actor, or speaker, who performs a long, uninterrupted speech or narrative alone on stage. 2. A solo performer: Specifically, an artist who presents a theatrical piece designed for a single speaker, often characterized by storytelling or a series of humorous anecdotes.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a specific type of solo performer in comedy, theater, or oratory.
• It refers to someone who commands the stage alone, engaging the audience through a continuous speech.

Examples

• The club featured a brilliant monologist who had the audience laughing for an hour with stories from his childhood.
• She is known as a political monologist, delivering powerful, solo speeches on contemporary issues.
• In his act, the monologist seamlessly transitioned between different characters within a single narrative.

Advanced Usage

• "A stand-up monologist": This phrase specifies a comedian whose routine is structured as a continuous, cohesive monologue rather than a series of disjointed jokes.
  • He evolved from a joke-teller into a compelling stand-up monologist.
• The role can extend beyond pure entertainment to include solo oratory or dramatic recitation.

Variants and Related Words

• Monologue (n): A long speech by one actor in a play or movie, or a long, uninterrupted piece of spoken word by a single performer.
  • The play's most famous scene is Hamlet's monologue.
• Monologuist (n): An alternative, less common spelling for , with the same meaning.
• Soloist (n): A broader term for any performer who performs alone, especially in music. (Note: This is a related but distinct concept.)

Synonyms

• Solo performer
• Solo speaker
• One-person show actor

Related Phrases/Idioms

• "To do a monologist's turn": To perform a segment or act in the style of a monologist.
  • For the charity event, the host did a monologist's turn, telling heartfelt stories for twenty minutes.

Noun

1. an entertainer who performs alone