Michael Hart discusses the production of his first play

Yes, although I wrote another over Christmas and it was staged in March.

Explain the plot of No More Salvator?

Basically a two-hander between the ghost of Salvator Roster and Mona Lisa. Salvator’s most famous works hung on either side of the Mona Lisa for centuries, probably the worst spots imaginable in the Louvre, and he has never come to terms with the injustice of it all. He questions everything; Leonardo’s ability, celebrity, fate and the stupidity of tourists. Mona Lisa on the other hand, has nothing to prove. She couldn’t care less. It’s a love hate relationship that’s doomed from the outset.

What inspired you to write it?

Having seen the Mona Lisa before if was re-housed in 2004 I always wondered what else hung in the gallery. I could remember nothing but that painting and the hubbub around it. No one showed any interest in anything but the Mona Lisa, so nothing else stood a chance. I guess I was always intrigued by this notion that you could make it, have your work hung in the Louvre, but be forever anonymous.

How have you used your experience as a creative director in writing this?

It’s been less about creative directing and more about simply writing. Getting to grips with characters, their backgrounds and motivations, not something you can really explore in a 30 second radio commercial.

Did you use contacts in order to get it produced or was this very much a new experience for you?

I won a competition and I’ve had very little involvement since then. It’s been strange, not what I’ve been used to, but I’m all the more curious to see their take on it.

Is this something we'll see you continue to do in the future?

If I have the time, then absolutely.

How different is writing a play and coming up with a concept, to that or an idea for an advert or a short film?

We wrong and directed a one act play for The Dalmore Whisky which was staged for one night at The National Gallety. The painting ‘The Death of a Stag’ celebrates a key moment in the history of the brand so creating an event in the shadow of Benjamin West’s masterpiece seemed like a logical thing to do.

Moving away from short form content puts far more emphasis on how you dramatise the idea and who the characters are that are telling the story. But that’s the way we’re going; virals, branded content and scripted slices of experiential aren’t governed by multiples of 30 seconds but by how long they need to be to get their messages across. But the discipline is the same and it’s still about the idea. Most conventional ads only have time for beginnings and endings, with something a little chunkier you get to think about the muddle in the middle.

You won the first of STV’s short film commissions. How is that coming along?

Ben and I have just about finished the rough cut. Still tinkering. Oh, and it’s still four minutes too long. Sorry Lisa.

No More Salvator is currently running at The Old Red Lion in London, from 8 June - 26 June.