Losing Our Heads: The Guillotine Play

by Nina Mansfield

Losing Our Heads: The Guillotine Play is a full-length comedy that juxtaposes absurdist vignettes about the bizarre history of the guillotine with the post-beheading loves, lives and struggles of historical figures who now exist in a very contemporary version of the afterlife. In the first historical vignette, Guillotine—an actual Guillotine—arrives for a job interview. Sanson, the head executioner during the...

Losing Our Heads: The Guillotine Play is a full-length comedy that juxtaposes absurdist vignettes about the bizarre history of the guillotine with the post-beheading loves, lives and struggles of historical figures who now exist in a very contemporary version of the afterlife. In the first historical vignette, Guillotine—an actual Guillotine—arrives for a job interview. Sanson, the head executioner during the French Revolution, is dismissive at first, but Guillotine wins him over. Meanwhile, in the land of the beheaded, Nick, the first person to be guillotined in French history, attends Beheaded Anonymous meetings. Nick is in a relationship with Marie (Antoinette), who is concerned about her friend Charlotte (Corday), because Charlotte refuses to admit that she’s been beheaded. Anne (Boleyn), who also attends B.A. meetings although her head was severed by a sword, is secretly in love with Nick. Other characters include the “numbing neck foam” peddling Henri, and the tortured Guy. The struggles of the beheaded are intertwined with warped versions of their back stories.
As the play progresses, each character’s backstory is revealed in absurdist fashion. Anne Boleyn, for example, is forced to choose her execution device at a 70s style game show. Henri finds himself in the home of girl who has fallen in love with his severed head. Meanwhile, in the land of the beheaded, Marie and Nick help Charlotte confront her addiction. By the end of the play, she has, but not without consequences. She has destroyed Marie and Nick’s relationship, and Nick has relapsed, eventually becoming a dreaded “vegetable head.”
The play culminates in a scene where Sanson is forced to relieve Guillotine of his duties, but not until he is able to perform his final execution, in 1977.
The play runs 90-minutes with no intermission, and could be played with eight or more actors.

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Losing Our Heads: The Guillotine Play

SANSON: The head (no pun intended) executioner during the French Revolution, and every executioner ever. 30s-50s, He also plays: MEL SANSON, a game show host; JIMMY, An 8-year old French school boy; PIERRE, really cute guy who speaks with a comically sexy French accent; and serves as narrator.
AXE: An axe (like for chopping large trees or chopping off heads.) Should look like an actual axe. Male, Any age.
GUILLOTINE: A guillotine. Should look like an actual guillotine. 30s. (Male.)
NICK: Nicolas-Jacques Pelletier. The first person to be guillotined in French history. 20s to 40s.
MARIE: Marie Antoinette. 20s to 30s.
ANNE: Anne Boleyn. 20s to 30s.
HENRI: Guillotine victim Henri Languille. 30s to 40s.
CHARLOTTE: Charlotte Corday. An 18th century French woman. 24 years old.
GUY: Guy LaSalle. First name pronounced “Gee” A coal miner and petty criminal, mistakenly executed. 20s to 40s.
BURNING AT THE STAKE: A burning at the stake. Male, any age.
BABETTE: Sanson’s assistant. Female.
JOHNNY: An 8-year old French school boy.
MADAME TIBOT: A third grade teacher. 20s to 50s.
SALLY: An 8-year old French school girl.
MOTHER: A bitter, cynical, single mom. Mother of Collette. 40s-50s.
COLLETTE: Mother’s daughter. A love struck French girl. Late teens to early 20s
BARMAIDS: Two non-speaking roles. Help keep Sanson’s bar in order.
VEGETABLE HEADS: Non-speaking. Those who have permanently lost their heads.
LETHAL INJECTION:A giant hypodermic needle.
MAN: The last man to be guillotined in 1977.

Possible Doubling:
Actor 1: Sanson, Mel Sanson, Jimmy, Pierre
Actor 2: Guillotine, Johnny
Actor 3: Nick, Sword, Vegetable Head
Actor 4: Guy, Axe, Man
Actor 5: Henri, Burning at the Stake, Lethal Injection
Actor 6: Marie, Mother, Babette, Singer, Vegetable Head, Barmaid
Actor 7: Anne, Madame Tibot, Vegetable Head
Actor 8: Charlotte, Sally, Collette, Singer, Barmaid

Development History

  • Reading, Variations Theatre Group’s Harvest Festival, The Chain Theatre, LIC, NY, 2013
  • Reading, The Dramatists Guild Friday Night Footlight Series, 2012

Production History

  • University, Harlequin Productions at Cayuga County Community College, 2015

Awards

  • Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Theatre Conference.
    Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Theatre Conference.
    Semi-Finalist
    2012