Villain monologue
Tea with Mr. Ashgrove
Quiet, polite villain monologue for voice actors: a soft-spoken schemer pours tea for the hero and reveals he's already won. Subtle, chilling menace.
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Length
- 148 words · ~59 sec
- Skills
- subtext, vocal restraint, pacing with silence
- License
- CC BY 4.0
The script
(pouring tea)Please, sit. You've come such a long way, and you look exhausted. Milk? No? You're right. It spoils the flavor.
I want you to know I'm not angry. Truly. You read my letters, you stole my maps, and you climbed my wall in the rain. That takes real dedication. I admire that.
But I think you've misunderstood something. You came here to stop me. And that's very sweet. It's just that I finished an hour ago.
The mayor signed this afternoon. The guard captain changed sides before supper. Even the baker came around, and he's never liked anyone. Nobody was hurt. Nobody needs to be.
So here's what happens now. You drink your tea. You go home. And tomorrow, when they ask who's in charge, you tell them the truth.
(gently)You tell them it's me. And you tell them I was kind about it.
Your tea's getting cold.
Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0. Original script drafted with AI assistance and edited by SceneDub; any resemblance to existing characters is coincidental.
Practise it now
The teleprompter scrolls at the speed you set in words per minute. Tick "Record audio while reading" to capture a take; the audio stays in your browser until you download it.
Coaching notes
- The menace comes from never raising your voice. If you feel the urge to get louder on 'It's just that I finished an hour ago,' get quieter instead and let the words do the work.
- 'And that's very sweet' should sound sincere, like a grandparent praising a child's drawing. That warmth is what makes it chilling.
- 'Nobody needs to be' is the only real threat, and it should sound like reassurance. Then treat 'Your tea's getting cold' as both a kindness and a dismissal, lifted and almost cheerful.
Try it three more ways
- Read Ashgrove as a frail-sounding elderly grandmother who is completely in control.
- Read it as a young, earnest villain who truly believes they're the good guy and wants the hero's approval.
- Read it as if Ashgrove is barely holding back fury under the politeness, cracking slightly on 'I'm not angry.'
Take it further
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All villain monologues for voice actors · Full script library
Frequently asked questions
How long is the "Tea with Mr. Ashgrove" script?
148 spoken words, about 59 sec at a conversational 150 words per minute and 1 min 8 sec at a slower 130 wpm. Your take will vary with pauses and character choices.
Can I use this script in my voice acting demo reel?
Yes. SceneDub's original scripts are licensed CC BY 4.0. You can perform, record, edit, and publish them, including in demo reels, classes, and auditions, as long as you credit "Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0" where you share the recording or the text.
How should I practise this script?
Read it silently once, then perform it with the direction above: gentle, courteous, quietly menacing, unhurried, ~120 words per minute, with comfortable silences. Record a take with the teleprompter, listen back, and try one of the alternate reads to stretch your range.