French Revolution – A quick blackout sketch. About to lose his head to the guillotine, a last-minute pardon! Congratulations?
French Revolution is a quick blackout sketch, as done in the days of vaudeville. I saw it on The Red Skelton Show episode, The Bear was a Bare-Faced Liar. This is set during the days of the French Revolution.
Props: A fake guillotine (probably cardboard), with a rope attached to the “blade”.
Cast: 3 clowns — one as the victim (already in the guillotine), one as the executioner (holding onto the rope), and a third to come on stage with a message.
The sketch begins with the victim-to-be with his head in the guillotine. The executioner is standing to one side, holding onto the rope that holds the “blade” from falling. Then, a third clown rushes in, with an urgent message! A last minute pardon! The executioner looks at the paper, and says, “Congratulations! Your life is spared!” He lets go of the rope to applaud …. Letting the blade fall, of course.