An outline for a play: The Mona Clarissa

PLAN STRUCTURE

TITLE:

The Mona Clarissa

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:

15-16 years old ( LEVEL 3)

CHARACTERS:

The Mona Clarissa: Mona Lisa’s twin sister (strong and determined). She is very upset because she is convinced she is the original painting by master Leonardo Da Vinci and her sister is only an impostor who has managed to fool everyone throughout the centuries so now she wants to reveal her truth to the world.

Brian: he is a naive school boy ( 14 years old ). He has got dark hair and blue eyes, a happy face full of freckles and he is a bit chubby. He doesn’t know much about art but he is able to communicate with The Mona Clarissa as “he is a pure spirit”.

Bridget: Brian’s school friend. She is tall, blond and very confident. She is also a very clever and resourceful girl who helps his friend and Mona Clarissa to unveil the truth.

Peter, a museum guard: a middle-aged man. Nice and helpful. He is also a fan of Leonardo’s works of art. He believes the kids and wants to help them unveil their incredible discovery.

The Mona Lisa: ( vain, conceited, a little devious and very spoiled). She has been Leonardo’s masterpiece throughout the centuries and she intends to keep things like that. She hates Mona Clarissa and wants to stop her in her claim for fame and deserved recognition.

Narrator: he/she introduces the play: sets the scene and presents the characters and helps the audience to follow the story.

SYPNOSIS:

Most of the action takes place at The Prado Museum. A group of students have gone there on a school trip. Two students, Brian and his friend Bridget, are able to communicate with the painted lady in one of the paintings in the museum: the copy of The famous Mona Lisa. This famous lady explains to them that she is not a copy but the original painting by Leonardo da Vinci, whereas the painting at the Louvre Museum in Paris is just a fake. She wants to unveil the truth that has been concealed for years but she needs the help of Brian and Bridget: Leonardo’s signature has been hidden in the background of the painting for centuries so now that the background has been uncovered, Mona Clarissa will help the children to find the signature and prove the world that she is “the real thing”. She also wants to travel to Paris where she could talk to her twin sister and “clarify one or two things”.

The last scene opens at The Louvre Museum where the two old ladies get together and both claim to be the real masterpiece.

CHARACTERS’ OBJECTIVES:

The Mona Clarissa: she wants to unveil the truth about her and become the original painting. She needs to travel to Paris to have “a serious conversation” with her twin sister and find an old manuscript with all the evidence about Leonardo’s original masterpiece that is kept in the basement at The Louvre Museum.

Brian and Bridget: they want to help Mona Clarissa.

                                                                        

Peter, a museum guard: he believes the kids and wants to help them.

The Mona Lisa: She wants to continue being the one and only Leonardo’s Gioconda so she tries to prevent her twin sister in Madrid from unveiling the hidden truth.

SCENE BREAKDOWN: Where? When? What happens?

Scene 1: Room 1 at The Prado Museum

The Mona Clarissa’s room. She communicates with the children, explains the situation and they offer her their help to find the hidden signature and take her to Paris. Leonardo’s signature is hidden in the background of the painting but is written backwards so the kids will beed a mirror to discover it. Once they found Leonardo’s signature, they need to tell somebody in the museum who can help them so they go and look for a nice museum guard.

Scene 2: Room 2 at the Prado Museum

Brian and Brigdet go to look for some help and find Peter, a museum guard. He is a very nice and helpful guard who seems to be skeptical about their story at first but who later changes his mind and decides to do his best to help them. He explains to them that once he has seen the signature himself, he will talk to the Prado’s director, who happens to be a good friend of his and the Mona Clarissa will become the greatest discovery of the 21^st Century.

Scene 3: Room 1 at the Prado Museum

They all come back to the Mona Clarissa’s room only to find that the painting has disappeared! The curators have taken it to Paris to be exhibited with “the original Mona Lisa”. The kids and the guard seem to be a bit sad but happy at the same time as they know going to Paris was one of Mona Clarissa’s wishes.

Scene 4: Mona Lisa’s Room at The Louvre Museum

Mona Clarissa is at last face to face with her twin sister Mona Lisa. She accuses her of stealing the leading role and seeking fame throughout the centuries and threatens her to reveal the truth to the world. However, the Mona Lisa defends herself and reveals to Mona Clarissa that the old manuscript which contains all the truth about the original Leonardo’s painting has been destroyed, so the truth will never come to light or at least that is what Mona Lisa thinks...

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Props: costumes, paintings, picture frames and a mirror.

The roles of the Mona Clarissa and Mona Lisa will be done with two students' heads inside two picture frames (props).

Unveiling the mystery: Leonardo’s signature

Leonardo was left handed and used to write from right to left. This type of writing is called “mirror writing” as one would need a mirror to be able to read it. This element has been included in the story: Leonardo’s signature has been written backwards to keep the secret. That’s why the kids will need a mirror to discover his signature on the painting.