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Narrator:
The rooms form this balcony lead into the rooms where the painter Angelica Kauffmann lived during her years in Rome. Who is Angelica Kauffmann you may ask. (Beat.) Angelica Kauffmann is one of the foremost female artists ever to live. She painted aristocrats, nobles, famous and Royalty. In fact she painted Royalty several times. Her paintings now hang in the major art galleries and private collections across the world. Probably the painting of Angelica Kauffmann�s that you are most likely to recognise it this �Hesitating between the arts�
I:1 Fifteen Seconds.
View the steps
The seventeen eighty nineties was a turbulent year top say the least, France was in the midst of a revolution. By the winter of seventeen eighty nine the Bastille had fallen and many French aristocrats couldn�t escape madam guillotine.
Fade to someone been guillotined.
1:2 Fifteen Seconds.
Fade back to Rome.
Many exiled themselves to cities throughout Europe. Many came here to Rome. Already here were many Stewarts from Scotland after their chosen exile after the conflict with Georgian England. (Beat.) Ah yes Georgian England, Georgian England wasn�t as we may think of it now. No, indeed no Georgian England was far from it, as The Daily Courant the newspaper, the newspaper of the time reported �The mob rules!�
1:3 Fifteen Seconds.
Fade to a mob scene on a London street.
1:4 Fifteen Seconds.
Fade to a tongue in cheek party English gentry party in an English country estate with Narration. The English gentry playing Cutchacutchoo.
The gentry in the meantime were enjoying the gentry when not touring the major cities of Europe. They managed their country estates through the summer months and city life through the winter months, they le played called CUTCHACUTCHOO. A sort of blind man�s bluff, but even more rowdier.
Fade back to Rome on the balcony.
Angelica in her latter years would sit here under this tree and paint, enjoying the panorama of old Rome, as she sat at her easel and .painted. The tree was given to her by Louise Vegee Le Brun, another female painter of the time. Like Angelica Louise Vegee Le Brun was an outstanding painteress.
There were similar to each other in many ways. They were both child prodigy�s, they
met only the once. That was here in the winter of seventeen eighty nine.
Fade to Scene One Rome.
SCENE ONE.
THE YEAR SEVENTEEN EIGHTY NINE.
They meet in Rome.
It is late November. Tonio is stood out on the loggia looking down onto the Spanish Steps. Angelica is sat in the main room of the apartment. Fix on Tonio out on the loggia.
1:1 Fifteen seconds.
Tonio:
Do you know what she looks like Angelica?
Angelica: Like me you�ve seen her canvasses Tonio. Mademoiselle Le Brun ids petit in features and stature and has a passion for delicate head apparel.
Tonio:
And so have many or the women in Europe! Most of which are here, here in Roma!
Angelica: (Beat.)
Tonio! (Beat.) Really Tonio you know very well that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit!
Tonio: (Laughing.)
By your very answer Angelica you declare that it is wit!
Angelica: (Beat.)
I was going to paint today.
Tonio:
Then why not paint Angelica!
Angelica:
Mademoiselle Le Brun�s arrival Tonio! That�s what Tonio!
Tonio:
Entertaining never stopped you painting before Angelica!
Angelica:
Before what Tonio!
Tonio: (Beat.) Just before!
Angelica: (Beat.) Yes before. (Pause.) I shall paint tomorrow.
Tonio: (Quietly.) Always tomorrow! Always tomorrow! Tomorrow never arrives!
Angelica: What was that you said Tonio?
Tonio: Oh nothing! Nothing Angelica! I just said its nice to be stood out here doing nothing Angelica.
Cut to two women and a girl walking up the Spanish Steps. One of the women is arguing with the girl.
Cut back to loggia Tonio is laughing uncontrollably.
Angelica: What�s amusing you so much Tonio?
Tonio: Come Angelica, come see! You must see this.
Angelica: See what Tonio?
Tonio: This women arguing with a girl!
Angelica: You�ve seen women argue before Tonio!
Tonio: Yes but not like this Angelica! They are almost like the Stewarts brawling in the streets! Come Angelica! Come Angelica and watch!
Angelica: Oh if it keeps you quite Tonio. Alright!
Angelica puts down her goblet on a small table at side of the chaise longue. Picks up a hand fan the table, gets up from the chaise longue and walks out to join Tonio out on the loggia.
Tonio:
Just look how she wags that finger in the face of the child! Just look at her Angelica!
Angelica: (Laughing.) Yes, yes Tonio! Just look at her! Do you think she�s had too much of the vino?
Tonio: (Laughing.) I think so Angelica! I think so Angelica! What language do they speak Angelica?
Angelica: (Laughing.) Quiet! Quiet! Tonio let me listen Tonio! Let me listen.
Tonio: Are they English? Are they Stewarts�?
Angelica: No, no there not. They�re Francais I think. (Silence.)
Angelica stares at the three women.
Tonio: Angelica! Angelica are you alright? Is anything the matter? Are you well Angelica? Do you feel faint Angelica?
Angelica: I�m fine. The woman! The woman! The woman is wagging finger at the girl!
Tonio: Yes Angelica
Angelica: (Silence.) That�s, that is Mademoiselle Louise Vegee Le Brun!
Tonio: (Silence. ) (Disbelief.) Mademoiselle Le Brun!
Angelica: (Beat.) Yes Tonio Mademoiselle Le Brun!
Tonio: Are you sure Angelica! They are a distant away! But how do you know that Angelica?
Angelica: (Beat.) The lips! Those lips I would recognise anywhere! (Joyful.) Mariana! (Pause.) Mariana! Mademoiselle Le Brun, Mademoiselle Le Brun she is walking up the steps Angelica! How do I look Tonio? How do I look?
Tonio: You look just fine Angelica! Just fine!
Fade out then into the main room both Angelica & Tonio are standing as Louise, Julie & Madame Charrot are ushered into the room by Mariana.
Mariana:
May I introduce Mademoiselle Louise Vegee Le Brun and her daughter Julie.
Angelica: Bonjour Mademoiselle Le Brun this is my husband Tonio and I�m
Louise: Angelica Kauffman!
Angelica: Yes, now lets do away with the formalities call me Angelica.
Louise: Yes, yes of course call me Louise. This is my daughter Julie.
Julie curtseys.
Julie: Mademoiselle.
Angelica: I�m charmed to meet you Julie.
Louise: And this is Julie�s Governess Madame Charrot.
Angelica: Please sit Mademoiselle Le Brun. Sorry, Louise.
Louise: Thank you Angelica
Louise sits on the chaise longue
1:2 Fifteen Seconds.
Tonio: I wonder if Mademoiselle Julie would care to sit out on the loggia. It provides the most marvellous view of the city.
Louise:
The loggia!
Tonio: Ah you may know it as a mezzanine!
Louise: Ah oui tres bon Tonio. That would be most educational. (Beat.) Madame Charrot accompanies Tonio and Mademoiselle Julie.
Charrot: Oui Madame
Angelica: Mariana would you attend to dinner.
Mariana: Yes Angelica.
Tonio, Julie & Madame Charrot go out onto the loggia and Mariana goes back into the kitchen.
Louise: You allow your staff to call you by name!
Angelica: Mariana has been with me for years. (Beat.) Back from my Venice days.
Flash back (Here forward) to de Horne at the Burney�s ball. Obviously would have to unnamed. Maybe the flashback is silent, perhaps a ball.
1:3 Thirty seconds worth.
Louise:
Is that your latest canvas Angelica!
Angelica: (Silence.) Sorry! Sorry!
Louise: Is everything alright Angelica.
Angelica: Yes! Yes Louise. Now what is that you said Louise?
Louise: I asked if that was your latest canvas?
Angelica: Sorry Louise yes it is. I started that a few weeks, sorry months ago. I�ve hardly touched it. I shall restart work on it perhaps tomorrow. Yes tomorrow. (Beat.) Or the next day! (Beat.) Only the face is complete, there is much still to do as yet.
Louise: I don�t understand Angelica! All need be done is have it sent to you artisans to complete.
Angelica:
No! No you don�t understand Louise. I don�t, I have never used as you say artisans, apprentices or what ever title they are given. Every brush stroke upon the canvas is my own.
Louise:
But Angelica it is the done thing. All the great masters, did so!
Angelica: A great many things exist that it is unless to close one�s eyes upon, and yet the very wants and disappointments and ineffectual efforts may themselves be a part of proof of the possibility of the things to which we cannot quite reach, the love we can not hold, the duty which we cannot quite fulfil. Is life a science? Are not its very deviations sometimes the key to its secrets? Are we all philosophers with instincts which set to us work upon its awful problems. (Quote: Kauffmann.)
Louise: (Beat.)
That�s, that�s as maybe. (Pause.) You came here from London didn�t you Angelica?
Angelica: London. Yes I did.
Louise: Did you find the change in cities difficult?
Angelica: Difficult! No, I�ve moved from city to city since, since I was a little girl. (Pause.) But London, London then was different. Yes very different!
SCENE TWO.
PART ONE
Angelica in London.
Angelica: Angelica Kauffmann. Here aged twenty six.
Reynolds: Joshua Reynolds. Slightly death carries an ear. trumpet.
M. Moser: Mary Moser. Of similar age to Angelica, is naive in the ways of the world.
Mariana. Angelica�s personal maid. Here she is a lady in her early forties.
It is the winter of seventeen sixty eight winter, Angelica has a house in Golden Square (near Soho then fashionable.) Possibly number eleven. The Princess of Wales visited her there to view her portrait.
ANGELICA IS IN BED WITH SOMEONE HAVING JUST HAD SEX (TURNS OUT TO BE REYNOLDS ENGRAVER, TO BE REVEALED LATER IN THE PLOT IN ROME.) THEY HEAR FOOTSTEPS FROM THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE. THEY STOP HAVING SEX AND THEN ANGELICA RUSHES HER LOVER TO DRESS AND OUT OF A REAR DOOR TO HER BEDROOM. (PUT EMPHASSIS ON HER BED CAP.)
Her bedroom was a great dark room, with a red paper and one or two dark old-fashioned pieces of furniture which had been left by the last inhabitants, a melancholy old bachelor who had died there. One door opened into the studio the other to the entrance hall. It would help for the tone of the play if flesh, breasts what ever are shown at the very beginning of this scene.
Angelica is sat at her dressing table. There is knock on the door the Mariana enters the bedroom.
Angelica: Yes Mariana
Mariana: Its Mr. Reynolds.
Angelica: (Softly.) Yes!
Mariana: He is here to see you Angelica.
Reynolds: Good, good.
Mariana: I have put him the studio Angelica.
Angelica: Good, good! Thank you Mariana. Could you lace my dress please Mariana?
Mariana: Of course Angelica.
Mariana assists Angelica to dress.
2.1:1 Thirty seconds.
Mariana: (Silence.) Don�t you think that its early to have a male caller Angelica?
Angelica: Yes Mariana but this is Mr Reynolds Mariana. Mr Reynolds insisted that he be the very first to see the studio. (Pause.) After all Mariana it is thee Mr Joshua Reynolds! Questionable!
Mariana: (Beat.)
That�s as maybe Miss Angelica!
Angelica: Honestly Mariana! I know exactly what I�m doing Mariana!
Mariana: I tell you Miss Angelica tongues will wag Miss Angelica! Tongues will wag! Don�t say that I haven�t warned you Miss Angelica!
Angelica:
Yes. Yes, then let the gossips gossip! Let them do their worst. (Silence.) There how do I look Mariana?
Mariana: You look fine Miss Angelica. Shall I announce you to Mr Reynolds Angelica?
Angelica: No, no Mariana it�s Mr Reynolds! No need to stand on ceremony with Mr Reynolds!
Mariana: As you wish Miss Angelica! As you wish
Cut to the studio. Reynolds is back to camera looking at an unfinished portrait of The Princess of Wales. He hears a door close, he turns to face the door to the studio which is directly behind him. Then Angelica confidently enters the studio.
2.1:2 Thirty seconds.
Angelica:
Good morning Mr. Reynolds.
Reynolds: Please, please Angelica lets not stand on ceremony! It�s Joshua! Angelica!
Angelica: Yes, yes, of course. Joshua. Yes.
Reynolds: I must congratulate you on the studio its most, most
Angelica: (Interruption.) (Sternly.) Most what Joshua!
Reynolds: (Pause.) Oh Angelica if you would have only accepted my offer!
Angelica: Why have you not just congratulated me on, my studio!
Reynolds: Yes but
Angelica: (Interruption.) Yes but what Joshua!
Reynolds: Well, Golden Square Angelica! It�s hardly well
Angelica: Well what Joshua?
Reynolds: (Beat.) Desirable! At least at Lady Wentworth�s you had the advantage of the Hill Street, Mayfair address!
Angelica:
Lady Wentworth and I came to an amicable arrangement!
Reynolds: Yes, yes and how long will it take you to pay Lady Wentworth back!
Angelica: I don�t know but at least I don�t have.
Reynolds: (Interruption.) Before, whilst awaiting you I couldn�t help but admire your canvas, your canvas the Princess of Wales.
Angelica: Really! You where?
Reynolds: Why yes but of course Angelica!
Angelica: It�s in its early stages as yet.
Mariana enters the room.
Mariana: Miss Kauffmann.
Angelica: Yes Mariana.
Mariana: Miss Moser asks audience with you.
Angelica: Yes, yes of course Mariana. Straight away Miss Kauffmann.
Reynolds: (Half laughing.) Please Mariana there is no need to stand ceremony!
Mariana: Yes Mr, Reynolds! Of course Mr Reynolds!
Angelica: Stop Mariana! Stop! You�re in my service!
Mariana: Yes, yes Miss Kauffmann!
Angelica: Then ignore what Mr Reynolds has spoken and do as I say Mariana!
Mariana: Why yes, yes of course Angel�. Sorry Miss Kauffmann! Yes!
Angelica: Decorum is all I ask Mariana, surely that is not too much for me to ask for! Its not you at which I�m drawing my, well anger Mariana but you Reynolds, for I should thought the better of you Mr. Reynolds to incite such behaviour Mr Reynolds!
Mariana:
Shall I request Miss Moser�s presence in the room Miss Kauffmann?
Angelica: Yes, yes do Mariana.
Mariana: Very good Miss Kauffmann.
Mariana leaves the studio.
(Silence.) Angelica & Reynolds stand in silence as Mariana leaves the room. Reynolds stares at Angelica intensely, his stare is only broken when Mariana walks into the studio.
Mariana:
Madame, Mr Reynolds Miss Moser.
Angelica: Good morning Mary.
M. Moser: Good morning Angelica.
Reynolds: The best of the morning to you Miss Moser.
M. Moser: Mr. Reynolds. (Beat.) Is he here?
Angelica: No not as yet!
M. Moser: I am so looking forward to meeting him and your aunt.
Angelica: (Beat.) Oh you mean my father!
M. Moser: Why of course your father, who else could I possibly mean Angelica?
Angelica: He and my aunt Rosa will be here shortly.
M. Moser: Good, good. (Beat.) Your canvasses for the exhibition have you entered them as yet Angelica?
Angelica: I gave them to Mr. Reynolds.
Reynolds: Yes everything is in order. I think I might have a buyer for them!
Angelica: Really! Whom?
Reynolds: John Parker. John is considering, considering purchasing all of the five after the exhibition.
M. Moser: Why That�s marvellous Angelica isn�t it?
Angelica: (Beat.) Yes, yes it is. May I ask Mr. Reynolds but what if I wish to show the pictures elsewhere?
Reynolds: That should not be a problem John Parker is a very accommodating gentleman. There should be no problems with that Angelica.
There is a knock on the door, Mariana enters the studio.
Angelica:
Yes Mariana?
Mariana: Miss Kauffmann your father and Aunt Mariana are downstairs with Mr Hone
Angelica: Mr. Hone is here!
Mariana: Yes the parlour with your father Joseph and Aunt Mariana.
Angelica: Ask Nathanial, Mr Hone to, come up here immediately!
Mariana: What about your father and Aunt Rosa?
Angelica: (Beat.) I shall attend to them in good time.
Mariana: Very good Miss Kauffmann.
M. Moser: Will you be attending the party at Dr Burney�s house this evening Mr Reynolds?
Reynolds: Yes dear I have my invite. I always look forward with fondness to the parties Dr Burney gives, such delightful company!
M. Moser: (Beat.) (M. Moser fans herself.) Why thank you Mr Reynolds.
Reynolds: My pleasure Miss Moser!
SCENE TWO.
SECOND PART.
Angelica: Angelica Kauffman
Reynolds: Joshua Reynolds
Hone: Nathaniel Hone
M. Moser: Mary Moser
De Horn: De Horn
F. Burney : Franny Burney
Dr Moser: Mr Moser
Fade to scene a party at the Moser�s house Angelica is singing beside a piano. Reynolds and Hone talk as Angelica sings.
Conversation between Reynolds and Hone.
2.2:1 Thirty Seconds.
Reynolds:
She is of good voice isn�t she Mr Hone!
Hone: Yes, yes she is that Mr Reynolds. She has the voice of that of an angel.
Reynolds: (Beat.) Some might say that her voice is the maker of her true art.
Hone: Surely you jest sir!
Reynolds: I have no time for jest good Sir!
Hone: But.
Reynolds: (Interruption.) There is no but, as you only just said sir she has the voice of an angel!
Hone: Yes but it rumoured that you yourself arranged for the purchase of not one but five of Angelica�s canvass yourself to John Parker!
Reynolds: Yes, yes my good friend, but with a generous commission for myself! Please sir, do tell, if you had the same opportunity you would not do the exact same!
Hone:
No I certainly would not sir! I would not even dream of such an idea! How can be so lude so as to place a price be put on a thing such as art!
Reynolds: Now it is you who jest Sir!
Hone: (Silence.) So you are artist turned a dealer in art Mr. Reynolds!
Reynolds: (Laughing.) Me! No! (Laughing.) You need to give time for yourself to think and think long and hard my friend for the answer is staring in the face and you no not of it!
Hone:
But I don�t know the question that�s has to be answered!
