“THE NECKLACE”

♠Opening♠

 Narrator: Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and distinguished members of the audience, a

warm welcome to each and every one of you. Today, I stand before you to present a tale that

embodies the power of desire, the pursuit of dreams, and the timeless yearning for something

beyond our reach. The story I bring to you is one of the most renowned literary works of all time-

the unforgettable tale of "The Necklace" By Guy de Maupassant.

♠Role Play♠

 Narrator: Once upon a time in the beautiful country of France, there lived a gorgeous woman by

the name of Mathilde. She always cared about her looks and worried about not having pretty

things. Being married to a humble clerk, Victor, who worked in the Ministry of Education, and

earned a decent salary, she bore her worries with efforts.

 Victor: (Knocking the door).

⟨Play: Conversation #1⟩

 Mathilde: ( 0pening the door). That lady is dressed superbly, such lovely ribbons and jewelry

and me? Not even a bow.

 Victor: (Walking towards Mathilde). Why do you worry about silly things? You are superbly

pretty. Isn’t that enough

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: Mathilde wasn't convinced. She believed that she was all deserving of the riches other

women wore. [Slowly open the curtain]. At night, Victor and she sat together to dine.

 Victor & Mathilde: (At the table).

⟨Play: Conversation#2⟩

 Victor: Aaah! Warm soup and freshly baked bread. Isn't this lovely?

 Mathilde: Aaah! Just old soup and normal bread. I wish we could have eaten a larger course in

francier silverware.

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: And so Mathilde lived her days always wanting more instead of appreciating what she

already had. (Victor is walking). [Slowly open the curtain]. One day her husband come home in

bright spirits.

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 ⟨Play: Conversation #3⟩

 Victor: Mathilde! Here's something for you.

 Narrator: ( Mathilde is opening the door). She tore open the envelope and saw the invitation

inside.

⟨Play: Conversation #4⟩

 Mathilde: This is...

 Victor: An invitation to a ball to be held in a weeks time at the Minister's Hall. Isn't that

splendid?

 Mathilde: Splendid!!? Victor! Tell me what do I wear to that ball? ( The invitation card was

thrown).

 Victor: ha...? Ohh... maybe the dress you wear to the theater? I mean... you look lovely... to...

me... oh... what's wrong?

 Mathilde: I... I don't have any... anything worth wearing to such a ball!

 Victor: Sweetheart! Don't cry. How much would a new dress cost?

 Narrator: ( Mathilde wipes her tears) Mathilde dried her tears and pondered carefully.

⟨Play: Conversation #5⟩

 Mathilde: Ahh... About... four hundred Francs.

 Narrator: Victor turned pale at this. He was saving exactly that much to buy himself a fishing set to

go out of his work colleagues.

⟨Play: Conversation #6⟩

 Victor: Very well my love. I will give you the money to get yourself a very pretty dress.

(Mathilde is happy).

 Mathilde: Thank you sweetheart. (They are hug to each other).

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: But as the ball come closer, Mathilde started to get anxious. (Mathilde felt sad).

 [Quickly open the curtain].

⟨Play: Conversation #7⟩

 Victor: What's wrong? Aren't you satisfied with the dress?

 Mathilde: No. It's beautiful!! But... I have no jewelry to go with it!

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  Victor: Well I have no money to buy jewelry. What about wearing some flowers? That's in style

right now currently.

 Mathilde: Flowers!!? Ughh! Then everyone will know the poverty we live in. ( Starting to angry).

No I need jewelry or I won't go.

 Victor: Then why don't you ask your friend, Jeanne? I'm sure she'll be generous. ( Mathilde is

going to happy).

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: Mathilde was delighted at this idea. She went to visit Jeanne, who had been a good

friend to her, but as Jeanne now had a rich house and good life, Mathilde has distanced herself.

 [Quickly open the curtain].

 (Mathilde went to Jeanne's home).

⟨Play: Conversation #8⟩

 Jeanne: Mathilde...! How have you been??

 ( Mathilde and Jeanne is talking to each other while sitting on the table ).

 Narrator: They spoke for quite sometime until Mathilde finally asked Jeanne for the favour.

⟨Play: Conversation #9⟩

 Mathilde: Can I ask you a favor? Can I barrow some of your jewelry?

 Jeanne: Jewelry?? Well of course. I have many. Daughter please bring me the one box of

jewelry. Choose whichever you like.

 (She gave the boxes).

 Narrator: She handed Jeanne a box full of many trinkets and necklaces. The sparkle they held

was reflected on Mathilde's face. She tried on many but like none.

⟨Play: Conversation #10⟩

 Mathilde: Do you have... anything else?

 Jeanne: Daughter can you please being me the two boxes of jewelry… How about these two

boxes?

 (Mathilde see what is inside in the box).

 Narrator: Mathilde looked but found nothing in the first box. But when she opened the second one,

in it lay the most beautiful set of diamonds Mathilde had ever seen. She carefully lifted them on to

her neck and was delighted at her reflection.

⟨Play: Conversation #11⟩

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  Mathilde: Would... would it be fine if I could have just... just... this?

 Jeanne: Ohh... of course. (Walking toward Mathilde).

 Mathilde: Thank you Jeanne.

 Jeanne: You are welcome Mathilde.

 [Slowly close the curtain].

 Narrator: Mathilde was elated, thanked Jeanne and hurried on home… [Slowly open the

curtain]. On the night of the ball. Mathilde was a complete success. She laughed and chatted with

much joy. ( Then Minister Ryan will come towards Mathilde). So much so that even the Minister

himself greeted her during the evening.

⟨Play: Conversation #12⟩

 Minister Ryan: Good evening Mathilde. You are so pretty tonight.

 Mathilde: Thank you...

 Minister Aba-a: You are right minister Ryan, Mathilde was superbly beautiful tonight.

 Minister Julius: Can I have you dance?

 {Play the Ball Room Dance Music}.

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: Once a ball had ended she went to find her husband who had retired into a room to rest.

He picked up her modest wraps to cover her shoulders with.

 [Quickly open the curtain].

⟨Play: Conversation #13⟩

 Mathilde: Uhh... These wraps completely ruin the look of my dress. I think I'll do without them.

 Narrator: Poor Victor followed his wife into the street. That night seemed to be an unlucky one as

no cab seemed available. They walked for a long time until they finally hailed one. (They ride into a

cab). It took them back to their flat and they tumbled out and up to their room. When they reached

inside. Mathilde went to admire herself one last time.

⟨Play: Conversation #14⟩

 Mathilde: Aaahh!! Oh Noo!

 Victor: What happened?

 Mathilde: The... Necklace!! It's not here! I've... I've lost it!!

 Victor: What?? That's impossible!! did you wear it before leaving?

 Mathilde: OF COURSE I DID (Angry)!! I also remember feeling it while talking to the Minister.

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  Victor: What about... the cab?? Did you get its number?

 Mathilde: I... I did not... (Thinking).

 Narrator: Victor was crest fallen. It was already four o'clock in the morning.

⟨Play: Conversation #15⟩

 Victor: Ahh... Fine. I'll go back the way we came and search the streets in case we dropped it.

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: And so he left, leaving Mathilde alone as she sat there, completely blank. After some

hours sadly, as he had found nothing. He told his wife to write to Jeanne.

 [Quickly open the curtain].

⟨Play: Conversation #16⟩

 Victor: Tell her you have given the necklace to be fixed as you've broken the clasp. It will give

us time to find the necklace.

 Narrator: And so while Mathilde did this. Victor went and made a complaint to the police and cab

drivers. But no word came to them…

⟨Play: Conversation #17⟩

 Victor: We have nothing left to do but replace the necklace.

 (They are walking).

 [Slowly close the curtain].

 Narrator: The went around everywhere looking at all the jewelers. At last, they found a similar

necklace as the one they'd lost.

 [Quickly open the curtain].

⟨Play: Conversation #18⟩

 Mathilde: That's it!! Ma'am! How much is it??

 Jeweler: This Madam? It will cost forty thousand francs.

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: Painstakingly, they agreed to buy it. They begged to jeweler to hold it for them until they

got the money. Victor went around begging and asking around from all his friends and family. He

soon collected the amount and they bought the necklace. She returned it back to Jean who took it

back without even looking at it. Thereafter, the couple's lives changed. They sent away their

helpers and went to live in a flat which had lower rent. Mathilde scrubbed and washed and worked

for many houses in the city. Her face turned wrinkled and her hands, rough. Victor worked for

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 longer hours during the day and took the night shift too. [Slowly open the curtain]. After ten

whole years of slogging, they had finally off their debt. But how changed they both were.

⟨Play: Conversation #19⟩

 Mathilde: How terrible my hands look now. And my beautiful hair it has streaks of grey in it.

 Victor: Ahh.. Think of them as streaks of silver, dear for the hard work we've done. ( The are in

the table).

 [Quickly close the curtain].

 Narrator: She smiled at him warmly, but still felt sad at what a single string of diamonds had done

to them. One day, as she was put walking, she saw a little girl bonding along with a lovely lady.

 [Quickly open the curtain].

⟨Play: Conversation #20⟩

 Mathilde: It's Jeanne!! And she still looks as lovely as a rose. Should I.. go and speak to her?

Jeanne? Hello?! You do look lovely after all these years my dear.

 Jeanne: Who is this woman? I have never seen her... Madam, I'm sorry but... I don't think I've

ever...?

 Mathilde: My dear friend. It's me! Mathilde. I suppose I have changed a lot.

 Jeanne: Mathilde??!! But my dear!! What happened to you??

 Jeanne & Mathilde: (Talking to each other silently).

 Narrator: Mathilde now told Jeanne everything. She thought that since she'd payed the whole debt

and cleared everything , it was fine to come clean.

⟨Play: Conversation #21⟩

 Jeanne: You... you say you lost my necklace, and then bought a replacement worth forthy

thousand francs??!

 Mathilde: Yes! I'm sorry to have lost it in the first place.

 Jeanne: Ohh!! Mathilde!! Why didn't you tell me the truth sooner?? That necklace wasn't even

worth two hundred francs.

 Mathilde: How is that possible? It was exquisitely beautiful!

 Jeanne: But... It was fake. It was a necklace made out of plain cut colored glass.

 [Slowly close the necklace].

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  Narrator: And thus poor Mathilde had learnt her lesson. If she had only been content with what

she had and had counted her blessings. Then maybe she wouldn't have done through so much

trouble.

 [Quickly open the curtain].

⟨Play: Conversation #22⟩

 Mathilde: How foolish I have been I had such a decent house with a loving husband. Why

didn't I see that earlier?

 Victor: My dear Mathilde? I'm home what's for lunch? Oh and I bought these flowers for you. I

hope you like them.

 Mathilde: They're lovely!! for lunch... I bought we'd have warm soup and some fresh bread. Is

that fine?

 Victor: That! Would be lovely... ( They hug each other)

♠Closing♠

 Narrator: According to Dr. Seuss, "Sometimes, you will never know the value of something, until it

becomes a memory." and also "If you still looking for others things, then you can't see the

blessings that God gives from you"… Once again, thank you for being here today. I hope you find

this presentation engaging, informative, and inspiring. Without further ado, let us embark on this

fascinating journey into the world of "The Necklace!"

 (All cast of the role play will go in front of the audience and judges and simultaneously bow).