Duo Interpretation
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Duo Interpretation, or often simply called Duo Interp, or just Duo, is an official speech event of the National Forensics League, the National Catholic Forensics League and the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association. The event involves a pair of performers acting out a short literary piece under certain restraints, including not looking at or touching your partner, and no props. Pieces used often include published short stories, plays, or poems. Participants may cut anything out of their piece, but cannot add any dialogue.
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[edit] Performance
Interpretation is highly valued in this event. Performers often twist the meanings of words for comic effect, or play on an unintentional pun. Other common ways to change the meaning of the text is to sing, dance, gesture, or simply change the tone of your voice. Performers are often judged on their characterization and the "stance" associated with it. Since each performer is usually responsible for more than one character and as there are no costumes, he must signal a change clearly and performers will often use this to their advantage with humorous voices and elaborate body positions, some involving both partners' participation, the jargon for this being "inter-blocking." Hand-gestures and pantomiming are also utilized. To overcome the restriction of looking at one's partner, participants often pick a point on the wall in front them to look at, pretending it is their partner's face. Performers must convince the audience with believable facial expression that the person they are talking to is truly up against the wall.
Participants also overcome the rule against touching by creating timed movements, such as when one actor pushes straight out in front of themselves, while their partner pretends to be hit at the same time.
Some movements, such as lying on the floor or kneeling with both legs, are prohibited but performers can get around these rules by keeping one limb raised.
There is no definite time minimium but official rules say that a duo piece should be ten minutes long. Any team going over this time shall be granted a thirty second grace period.
[edit] Elements of the Duo
The duo usually begins with a teaser or short "taste" of the forthcoming duo. Typically, though there is no rule governing the order of these elements or their length, this lasts 1 to 2 minutes before the performers break character to perform their self-written "intro". The intro serves to introduce the piece and its author, as well as provide the performers to simultaneously present the theme or storyline of their piece and infuse their own creativity. After the intro, which is usually brief due to original word restrictions, the duo resumes through its end.
[edit] Current National Champions
Representing James Logan High School: (National Forensic League)
Taron Grizzel & Karen Joshi - "Mr. Marmalade"
Representing Howland High School: (National Catholic Forensics League)
Stephen Hickman and Brett Fodor- "Doctor Faustus"
[edit] Resources for Scripts
www.playscripts.com www.dramatree.com
