Marie Antoinette’s Head

In this campy comedy we follow Marie Antoinette’s hair dresser, Leonardo, as he pursues Marie’s severed head across time and space. The first panel of the triptych takes Leonardo to the Palace of Versailles, just after the Queen’s execution, where drunken peasants are being harassed by Rousseau while partying with the head. Then the play shifts to California’s Corcoran Prison, in 1994, where the guards were...

In this campy comedy we follow Marie Antoinette’s hair dresser, Leonardo, as he pursues Marie’s severed head across time and space. The first panel of the triptych takes Leonardo to the Palace of Versailles, just after the Queen’s execution, where drunken peasants are being harassed by Rousseau while partying with the head. Then the play shifts to California’s Corcoran Prison, in 1994, where the guards were staging gladiatorial combats between prisoners. Leonardo finds himself in the prison’s green room, with their combat becoming a game-show, hosted by Charles Darwin, and the head shamefully serving as the consolation prize. And finally Leonardo’s pursuit takes him to a Gnostic semen cult in 1st century Rome, on the day of the great fire. In the Roman catacombs, Nero spies on the cultists’ feast, while Leonardo gets caught swiping the head from their altar. Throughout it all the telephone keeps ringing. It’s Marie calling for Leonardo, and he always hangs up.

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Marie Antoinette’s Head

Six actors, 3m, 3f.
This gender breakdown is only a suggestion. Feel free to get weird. If a different presentation of gender works better for a particular production, use it.

Leonardo—Marie Antoinette’s hair dresser, male, 40’s

Reveler #1—French peasant, male
Reveler #2—French peasant, female
Reveler #3—French peasant, male
Reveler #4—French peasant, female
Rousseau—Important philosopher, female

Prisoner #1—A convict in Corcoran Prison
Prisoner #2—A convict in Corcoran Prison
Guard #1—A guard in Corcoran Prison
Guard #2—A guard in Corcoran Prison
Darwin—Scientist

Ted—A Gnostic high priest
Lori—A Gnostic priestess
Luci—Another Gnostic priestess
Jimmy—A Gnostic convert
Nero—Roman emperor

The doubling breaks down like this:
Reveler #1/ Prisoner #1/ Ted
Reveler #2/ Guard #1/ Lori
Reveler #3/ Prisoner #2/ Jimmy
Reveler #4/ Guard #2/ Luci
Rousseau/ Darwin/ Nero

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization The Flea Theater, Year 2007
  • Type Reading, Organization The Playwrights' Center, Year 2006