The kind of scripts that seem to be most successful in duo (or in any interp event, really) are those that begin comedic, and end dramatic. Because of how much interaction the two duo partners should have, most scripts are either plays or films.
Duos can follow one or two central characters. With one central character, the other duo partner typically plays a wide variety of characters. This type of script is common with comedy, in which the main character may meet a diverse cast of wacky, larger-than-life characters. Scripts that follow more than two central characters, such as an ensemble cast, may be harder to portray with only two people.
However, the biggest part of finding a script is figuring out what works with you; if you and your partner fall in love with a script with an ensemble cast, go ahead and try it out! These are merely guidelines and what we've seen to be the standard in recent years. If you want to try to stand out and create a new standard, go for it.
As we said before, most of the scripts that are successful begin comedic and end dramatic. During the comedic part, there is typically very intricate blocking paired with a ton of sound effects. Comedy allows for a lot of "flashiness" to get the attention of judges and impress them. Many comedic duos will incorporate children, and people will use exaggerated young kid voices. As the duo begins to become dramatic, intricate blocking doesn't really fit in anymore. This is not to say that there is only simple blocking at the end of duos, or that intricate blocking can't be used in dramatic parts. It's the fast-paced and exciting blocking and sound effects that seem awkward when you try to reuse them during a dramatic scene.
If you are looking to do some crazy complicated blocking with lots of characters and sound effects while still having soul-crushing scenes at the end, this is what to look out for. In this case, you want to find a script that is flexible enough to even allow you to do so. Find scripts that have that story arc from humor to drama. Find scripts that have distinct characters. Find scripts that allow you to use your imagination and incorporate things like sound effects and blocking that wasn't originally there.
Some scripts can be amazingly well done even without flashy blocking. But understand that if there's no way for you to add stuff like that in, don't try to force it. Trying to do tons of sound effects where it doesn't fit will do more harm than good.
Nearly all duos are cut in such a way that they are an abridged, summarized version of the original script as a whole. We really haven't seen many duos lately that are straight-cuts, as in only a few scenes are done in sequence.
Many works (plays, books, movies) will have multiple characters and multiple storylines. It will be your job to focus on a few of these characters and one of these plots. With a comedy, you generally have more freedom when it comes to doing multiple characters; most of the time, in dramas, doing multiple characters can be confusing. Sometimes, you will have to cut an entire character out of your piece because introducing them would mean introducing their own backstory and plot just to make the piece make sense. An important thing to remember when cutting is that you do not necessarily have to stay true to the script. Let's say your character is a college student. However, if you mention college in your duo, it would mean introducing 4 more essential characters and pushing you somewhere closer to 15 minutes. What you can do is combine the parts of the script where your character is in college with when he is in high school, and act as if the whole story takes place in high school. This would be your interpretation of the script.
After you finish cutting your script, read it back to yourself. Does it make sense? Are there any plot holes in your own cutting? Is there anything a judge, who has never seen the original script, would not understand? Make sure that your cutting can stand on its own, without any prior knowledge of the original piece.
Your transitions can be anything you want to indicate a change of scene. It can be a through line (a specific phrase or line that is repeated as a transition), a specific blocking (such as turning around), or a sound effect (likebeatboxing. Why not?). A couple years ago, dubstep was an incredibly popular thing used in duos and other interps. The possibilities are endless.
Keyboard clacking, pen clicking, door creaking, page turning... That weird breathing "hhaaaaAAAA" sound thatsome people do.
