A solo speech and drama class in which one performer presents a short sketch of a single character, dressed for the part, in age classes with a three- to five-minute limit.
A Character Sketch in Costume is a short solo performance in which one person becomes one character. The performer arrives dressed for the part, speaks and moves as that person for a few minutes, and leaves the audience with a clear picture of who the character is, how they speak, how they carry themselves and what they want. The word sketch is the point: it is a quick, vivid portrait, not a full scene from a play, and everything the audience learns has to come from the one performer on the floor.
In eTalenter data the class appears on two templates, both speech and drama syllabi of eisteddfods in New South Wales, Australia. It is an individual entry, open to boys and girls together, in English. The larger of the two runs it in six two-year age bands, from 7-8 up to 15-16 and a 17 and over class, with three minutes for the two youngest bands, four minutes for 11-12 and 13-14, and five minutes for the two oldest. The other template uses four classes, 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under and 15 and over, with three, four, four and five minutes. The data does not say whether the sketch is the entrant's own choice or a set piece, so an organiser should state that rule in their own syllabus.
A round runs entrant by entrant within an age class. The performer takes a starting position, begins in character, plays the sketch and finishes with a held moment before stepping out of the role. Because the costume is named in the class title, it is part of what the adjudicator sees, alongside voice, movement and memory work. A simple costume that matches the character and can be put on quickly usually serves an entrant better than an elaborate one that hampers movement.
Organisers run the class because it gives young and adult performers who enjoy dressing up a proper competitive home, and because it is easy to schedule: one performer, one slot, one short piece. The platform carries the class, the age classes, the time limits and the nominal marking scale; the choice of character, the source of the words and any rule about props or make-up are conditions the organiser sets.
Where Character Sketch in Costume is run
Character Sketch in Costume is run on two templates in the data, both the speech and drama syllabi of New South Wales eisteddfods in Australia. Timed, adjudicated speech and drama classes in separate age groups are a long-established part of the Australian eisteddfod tradition, and dressing-up classes for solo performers are a familiar part of them. This page does not claim wider reach than those two festivals: the age bands and time limits described here are the ones the two templates carry, and other festivals may run a similar class under a different name or with different limits.
- Australia
Key facts
- Individual entry: one performer, one character, boys and girls together, in English.
- Costume: named in the class title, so the character's dress is part of what is seen. Whether props or make-up are allowed is not in the data, so the organiser should state it.
- Larger template: six age bands (7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17 and over). Three minutes for 7-8 and 9-10, four minutes for 11-12 and 13-14, five minutes for 15-16 and 17 and over.
- Second template: four age classes (10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 15 and over) with three, four, four and five minutes.
- Marking: the larger template uses a nominal maximum of 10 per performance and the second a nominal 100; neither prints per-criterion marks, so none are asserted here.
- Placings: first to fourth on the larger template, with no points printed for them.
- Idea starters, not rules: a lighthouse keeper on a stormy night, a very proud town crier, a nervous first-day teacher, a sports commentator who cannot stop talking, a ship's cook in a hurry, a grandparent telling a fishing story.
On eTalenter, Character Sketch in Costume is filed under Action, Drama and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 2 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Character Sketch in Costume is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 10, commonly time-limited to 3–5 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in Character Sketch in Costume
What a Character Sketch in Costume panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Neither template prints judging criteria for this class, so none are asserted here. What follows is general advice on what a speech and drama adjudicator listens and looks for in a character sketch, labelled as advice and not as any festival's own rubric.
- One clear character: the audience should be able to say in a sentence who this person is and what they want. A sketch that tries to show three personalities usually shows none of them.
- Voice choice: a distinct pace, pitch and accent or manner of speaking that stays the same from the first line to the last, and that the audience can still hear and understand at the back of the room.
- Movement and stillness: the way the character stands, walks and uses their hands. A single strong physical habit, held consistently, reads far better than constant fidgeting.
- Costume that serves the role: one or two items that say who the character is at a glance, worn comfortably. A costume the performer keeps adjusting takes the audience out of the sketch.
- Words and memory: a script that is secure enough to be spoken without hesitation, with a beginning, a small turn in the middle and a definite end.
- Time discipline: the sketch must fit the limit for the age class. Running into the bell, or finishing far short of it, suggests the piece was not rehearsed at performance speed.
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Character Sketch in Costume under Scoring Setup, or start from the full mono act judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Character Sketch in Costume
How entrants and their teachers usually get Character Sketch in Costume right on the day:
- Settle the rules first: whether the sketch is your own choice or set, the exact time limit for your age class, and whether props, make-up or a copy for the adjudicator are allowed. Ask the organiser if the syllabus is silent.
- Pick a character you can believe in and describe in one sentence. Write down three things about them: how they speak, how they move and what they want right now.
- Keep the script short. Two or three minutes of well-chosen lines, with a clear start and ending, plays better than a rushed five-minute piece. Read it aloud and cut any line that does not show the character.
- Choose a costume that can go on quickly and stays put: one hat, coat or apron and one prop is usually enough. Rehearse in it, because it changes how you stand and move.
- Learn the words in small blocks, then rehearse with the movement so the two become one habit. Say each block aloud rather than only reading it silently.
- Practise a strong opening position and a held ending. A clean first step into character settles nerves and a held stillness at the end tells the room you have finished.
- Time the full piece, in costume, at performance speed against your age-class limit. If it runs long, cut a line rather than speed up and lose your pauses.
- Perform it for someone who has never seen it and ask them to describe the character back to you. If they cannot, the picture is not clear enough yet.
- After the result, use any comments the organiser passes on to choose a sharper character next time.
Frequently asked questions
Is Character Sketch in Costume judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter's templates it's most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
What is a character sketch in costume?
A short solo performance in which one person plays one character, dressed for the part. It is a quick portrait of who the character is, not a full scene from a play.
Is it the same as a character recital or monologue in costume?
They are close cousins. A recital or monologue is usually a chosen poem or speech told in a character voice, while a character sketch is a short portrait built around one personality. Check the organiser rules, since festivals use the names slightly differently.
How long can the performance be?
On the larger template, three minutes for ages 7 to 10, four minutes for ages 11 to 14 and five minutes for 15 and over. The other template runs three, four, four and five minutes across its four age classes.
Do I write my own sketch?
The templates do not say whether the sketch is own choice or set. Check the organiser syllabus, and if it is your own choice, keep it short and built around one clear character.
Are props and make-up allowed?
The templates do not say. Ask the organiser before the day, and bring only what you can carry on and off quickly.
What are entrants judged on?
The templates print no criteria. They use a nominal maximum score that the organiser can change, and the judging advice on this page is general.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full mono act judging criteria guide, or browse every action competition item.
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