This Is Not the World We Meant to Wake In: The Testament of the Spirited Away

This Is Not the World We Meant to Wake In: The Testament of the Spirited Away is a collection of contemporary dramatic monologues written for performance, study, and reflection.

When a night of celebration ends in silence, a group of teenagers awaken in a world emptied of sound, movement, and memory. Each speaks alone - a skater, a choir girl, a fry cook, a dreamer - their voices forming thirty testaments to survival, identity, and what it means to be human when the noise disappears.

Created by a collective of writers and theatre artists, this book is part of The Sweastbound Monologue Series - modern works for classrooms, festivals, and actors seeking fresh material for audition and study. Designed for high school and post-secondary performers, each piece invites exploration of voice, stillness, and emotional truth.

These monologues are adaptable for any gender and ideal for performance, rehearsal, or classroom analysis. Together they form a haunting chorus of resilience - a new canon of contemporary voices for the modern stage.