Angélique

Lorena Gale

• Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press
• Year: 2000
• ISBN:
  9780369102546
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Canadian Drama
• Index: Literature

"And in seventeen thirty-four a Negro slave set fire to the City of Montreal and was hanged..."

With this bald statement of history as a basis, Lorena Gale constructs a vivid portrait of a time when captive people had no say in the outcome of their lives.

A rich, poetic evocation of a graceful yet cruel time—a time when "civilized" citizens still bought and sold slaves. This is a time when the thoughts and feelings of these captive people had no bearing on the outcome of their lives, unless they were outraged and brave enough to try and shake their bonds. Angélique is the winner of the du Maurier National Playwriting Competition and was nominated Outstanding New Play in Calgary's Betty Mitchell Awards, 1998.

Angélique

by Lorena Gale

ACT I

Scene One

The sound of African drumming. The featureless silhouette of a woman dancing with a book against a backdrop of red, oranges and yellow, suggestive of flames. VOICEOVER – building in a rapid repetitive delivery.

VOICEOVER

And in seventeen thirty-four a Negro slave set fire to the City of

Montreal and was hanged.

in seventeen thirty-four a Negro slave set fire to the City of

Montreal and was hanged.

seventeen thirty-four a Negro slave set fire to the City of

Montreal and was hanged.

a Negro slave set fire to the City of Montreal and was hanged

slave set fire to the City of Montreal and was hanged

set fire to the City of Montreal and was hanged

fire to the City of Montreal and was hanged

to the City of Montreal and was hanged

City of Montreal and was hanged

Montreal and was hanged

and was hanged

was hanged

hanged.

The crackling sound of fire.

Scene Two

FRANÇOIS Poulin de Francheville in a pool of light. He is dressed in full 18^th century garb. He talks directly to the audience, with the cocky confidence of a Donald Trump on a roll.

FRANÇOIS

I was hot. I tell you, everything I touched would turn to gold. Or should I say iron. The interest on the loans I paid out was rolling in. And well… there seemed to be no end to the number of furs that could be traded. Something went bing! in my mind. Iron…

iron

is the wave of the future. So Ignace Gamelin and I laid down the foundations for the Ironworks. Wrote to the Minister of Marine requesting a twenty-year monopoly on the deposits in St. Maurice. And ba-da-bing ba-da-bang! Request granted from the first day of smelting! Not only that, but the right to exploit cultivated and uncultivated lands next to my own. I felt like a king! Better than Louis! I felt like Midas! With an iron touch. Which is better because iron is stronger and sometimes more valuable than gold.

But do you think I can put a smile on my wife’s face?

Our daughter, Marie Angélique, had been dead for two years. Still, Thérèse cried all the time…. Don’t get me wrong. I think of

Marie

and I feel sad. Yes! But hey… life goes on. And we could always have another child. (beat) Do you know how hard it is to get close to someone who breaks into tears every time you touch her?

One day I met this really annoying little guy named Bleck. Nicholas Bleck. A Flem. You know what they’re like. Just arrived in New France. “With a very rare and special cargo,” he says. “Slaves. African slaves. Not those wild things fresh from the jungle. But directly from Portugal. Handsome servants experienced in the ways of Europeans and trained to cater to our every pleasure.” A luxury only a fine

gentleman like myself could appreciate. And a steal at any price. I wasn’t really interested. But the guy was so determined to make a sale, I knew he wouldn’t let me go before he displayed his merchandise. So I said I’d take a look. What does it cost to look?

ANGÉLIQUE in shadows.

The figure of this fine creature could not but attract my particular notice. She was standing off to the side with some others. Perfectly straight… with the most elegant shapes that can be viewed in nature. Her chestnut skin shone with double luster. Her large ebony eyes with their inward gaze. Her proud face… immobile… I don’t know…

Do you know what it’s like to be flush? To say, “I want that!” And without giving it any more thought, to just reach out and take it. To be able to buy anything or anyone… there is no more powerful feeling in the world! Eight hundred pounds later…

I thought maybe I could give this creature to Thérèse as a special surprise. Make her the envy of female society. Maybe she would be happy…. Want to be close…

What would you pay for your wife’s happiness? What would you pay for your own?

Scene Three

Lighting change. ANGÉLIQUE, dressed in a white domestics uniform, in a spot. THÉRÈSE de Couagne dressed in early 18^th century in another spot. ANGÉLIQUE directly addresses the audience as documentary, THÉRÈSE as commentary.

ANGÉLIQUE

Angélique… Marie Joseph…

THÉRÈSE

After my sister, Marie Joseph de Couagne.

ANGÉLIQUE

Angélique…

THÉRÈSE

After… (Unable to speak the name of her dead daughter, she turns away.)

ANGÉLIQUE

Negro slave born around 1710. Baptized in Montreal June 28, 1730. Hung in Montreal June 21, 1734.

THÉRÈSE

Property of François Poulin de Francheville. 427 rue St. Paul.

The lights come up. THÉRÈSE has been informing ANGÉLIQUE of her duties. She does so lightly and politely, but with the easy authority of one who is in command of her household. FRANÇOIS sta...