“the world is digital, why leave the house, a click of the mouse will bridge it all ....”
In common with many art galleries across the world,
the Mallory Art Gallery is badly funded and
consequently desperately short of money. It was
founded in the last century by the grandfather of
Mungo Mallory, who now does his best to manage the
gallery with the help of his loyal daughter Diana. The
Gallery is under new ownership and Mungo and Diana
are hoping for a change of fortune when they meet the
new owner Mr Ed Hammer.
Unfortunately they could not be more wrong. Hammer plans to digitalise all the works
of art on the walls of the Mallory and remove them to safe storage underground. In
future the only access to them will be via the worldwide web. Phil Easton, a
computer expert, is given the task of photographing and processing all the pictures.
When the gallery has been emptied it will be demolished to make way for Hammer’s
nightmarish development plans.
Mungo and Diana are even more bemused to find that Diana’ former boyfriend, Andy
Prince, who used to work with them in the gallery until recently, is now employed as
Mr Hammer’s right-hand man. Andy and Phil are left at the gallery to get on with Mr
Hammer’s master plan, but both seem strangely reluctant to do so. Andy seems
more interested in getting back in Diana’s good books, and Phil is becoming more
and more seduced by the Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile.
When the gallery is empty, especially when the shadows fall, it
seems to have a life of its own. We are able to meet several
characters from some very famous paintings. They share the
Mallory’s concern for the gallery’s future and resolve to do all
they can, and hope for a miracle! Phil is in a trance like state and
comes to believe that the Mona Lisa actually asked for his help
to save the gallery.
Ed Hammer comes back to check progress and is horrified by
the lack of it. He threatens to sack Phil and Andy if things are not
sorted out by the next day. Andy has had enough and resigns
before Hammer is able to dismiss him. Diana is thrilled by the
way Andy defended her gallery and he is now her hero! Hammer
seems unwell as he storms out.
The cleaners, Chelsea and Elsie, join Andy and Diana in their last night vigil in the
gallery while Phil spends the night with the Mona Lisa! In the morning Hammer’s
personal assistant, Kelly Control tells them all that her boss has a 24-hour virus, so
they can stay in the doomed gallery for a little longer after all.
Shortly afterwards news comes in that a mysterious and virulent bug has destroyed
software for the global plans to digitalise all great works of art. It seems to be a total
mystery how this has happened, but it is good news for the gallery – the pictures can
stay on its walls. The threat to their existence is lifted but Ed Hammer’s business
empire plummets and he decides to take early retirement. It is time for all connected
with the gallery to congratulate themselves!
To give you a flavour of the
musical you can hear some
of the Moving Masterpieces
songs on the video below.
Songs featured are:-
Wondrous Collection
Jigsaw
No Flash Photography
All I Ever Wanted
Light of the World
Take Another Look
Just Like That
Thin
Day Over
Art Attack
Listen to the songs
“A musical experience made
up of laughter, sadness, and
dancing action, yet with
time for reflection; totally
original”
Moving Masterpieces Medley
Watch the video and listen to extracts
from ten of the songs from the new
Ashmore-Payne musical