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MISE EN PLACE:
Versailles, Paris & Environs
1770s-90s
SET:
A guillotine.
A palace.
A carriage.
Trianon & L'Hameau.
Tuilleries & the Jardin.
Tower of the Temple.
Conciergerie.
CHARACTERS:
MARIE ANTOINETTE, queen of France
LOUIS XVI, her husband
JOSEPH, her brother
AXEL FERSEN, a family friend she's attracted to
THE DAUPHIN, her 10-year-old son
YOLANDE DE POLIGNAC, a false friend
THERESE DE LAMBALLE, a true friend
MR SAUCE, a shopkeeper (can double with Joseph)
MRS SAUCE, his wife (can double with Polignac)
A SHEEP
ROYALIST
GUARD 1,2,3 (can all be played by one man)
"When she walks through your bedrooms carrying butcher knives you'll know the truth."
Heiner Müller
HAMLETMACHINE
ACT ONE
SCENE 1: 1776
Marie, Yolande de Polignac, Therese de Lamballe, all taking tea in a palace. They all have Enormous hair. A concerto underscores.
POLIGNAC: (Pouring) Tea?
MARIE: Thanks I'll have a spot. Oh my god I'm picking up British affectations "I'll have a spot" //
LAMBALLE: And look what's happening in the colonies //
MARIE: Boston, I know II
POLIGNAC: Bedlam.
MARIE: It's crazy, and all for a spot of tea.
POLIGNAC: I hate British people, I have to say;
MARIE: Lafayette writes me letters-
POLIGNAC: Milk?
MARIE: (Yes please) But nobody speaks of revolution here have you noticed?
LAMBALLE: (Opening a case) Cachou?
MARIE: (No thanks) The people aren't happy; Or-I don't know what they are //
LAMBALLE: There's riots.
MARIE: Are there?
POLIGNAC: But there's always riots //
MARIE: Maybe they are starving. I hear things, but then I think maybe it's all a canard? Human relations are so confusing, they should be transparent and they aren't //
POLIGNAC: That's true //
MARIE: And anyway one hears a number of things, there's sort of a din everywhere-well in France-it's like dishes clattering and breaking everywhere you go, have you noticed?
LAMBALLE: I know,
MARIE: These rumors It hurts my head.
POLIGNAC: We have aspirin,
LAMBALLE: Have you heard of this Rousseau?
MARIE: Who's that.
LAMBALLE: I keep hearing his name, whispers, I don't know. He writes books.
POLIGNAC: We should have him to court.
MARIE: Uch intellectuals blech (sips) you know what I love, mops!
LAMBALLE: Mops? //
MARIE: Those little lapdogs with snub noses?
POLIGNAC: That baroness What's her name...