In order to help his mater Octavio marry Isabelle (Cintio’s daughter), Mezetin becomes Cintio’s servant. Cintio and the Doctor are looking for the Philosopher’s Stone. Arlequin and Mezetin dress as chimney sweeps and make the story of La Belle Maguelone into a puppet show, during which they give Octavio’s letter to Isabelle. Arlequin cross-dresses as a viscountess and fails to convince a marquis and the Doctor to share their secrets. Octavio proposes to Isabelle, but Cintio forbids their union. Quacks show up to an assembly called by the Doctor, and they are driven out by Polichinel. The quacks boast about their inventions, but they run away when they see Mezetin and Pierrot, who are respectively dressed as a Commissaire (commissioner) and a Clerc (clerk). The Commissaire tells Cintio that Isabelle has been abducted. Octavio comes forward to save her. When Isabelle comes back, Cintio still forbids their marriage. But Octavio threatens to report him for having invited counterfeiters. Everyone goes watch Mars and Apollon’s fight on the Place des Victoires (Victory square). Cintio finally accepts Octavio as his son-in-law.

Curiosité

Not specified

France

Paris

Printed

Alchemy

Philosopher's stone

False Scientist

Science

Invention

Fake kidnapping

Forger

Rivalry of theatres

Comical

Satirical

Arlequin holding the curiosité. Frontispiece of Les Souffleurs, 1694.

French

ou la Pierre philosophale d'Arlequin

Il Dottore (Commedia dell'arte)

Cintio

Isabelle

Marinette

Arlecchino

Octavio

Mezetin

Pierrot

Chimney sweeper

Vicomtess

Marquis

Seneschal

Colombine

Pasquariello

Polichinelle

Knight

Police Superintendant

Clerk

Goldsmith

Mars

Victoria

Warrior

Apollo

Themis

Minerva

Arts

Disguise

Letter

Cross-dressing

Jack of all trades

Allegory

Pantomime

Puppet theatre within the theatre

Storyteller

Les Souffleurs

The Alchemists

A young alchemist, Émile, and his assistant Guignol are preparing for their final experiment—to create a man. Instead of a man, however, a Monstre (Monster) rises out of the cauldron, scaring the two men as well as Émile’s fiancée, Amélie, the daughter of Baron de Valbreuze. Émile and Guignol go to a cemetery, where they are advised by a Squelette (Skeleton) to question an old Alchimiste (Alchemist), who can teach them how to get rid of the Monstre. The Monstre is devoured by ghosts and disappears. Guignol and Émile go back to the Baron and to his daughter, and the young couple signs a marriage contract.

Glove-puppet

Vuillerme-Dunand Victor-Napoléon

Manuscript

Monster

Double

Wedding

Cemetery

Fantastic

Le Monstre et l'alchimiste, censorship archives (first page of the text)

Le Monstre et l'alchimiste

Alchemist

Guignol

Skeleton

Undead

Monologue

Comedy of language

Dialect as a social marker

Aside

Pyrotechnics

Explosion

Apparition of a monster

Fausse sortie

Comical fall of a character

Fainting

Magical disappearance

Chase

Dead talking character

Apparition of a ghost

Final song

The Alchemist

The protagonist, Franz, is a young Viennese scientist who, during a hypnosis session conducted by Mesmer, learns that his cousin Angèlica, with whom he is in love, is in great danger. He decides to go to her rescue and, after many adventures, arrives in Budapest to find that she has just died. Convinced that she has been hypnotised by the alchemist Adam Le Fay, he keeps her body in ice, brings her back to his laboratory and tries various experiments to resurrect her. He fails and is accused of her murder by Napoleonic troops who have just entered Vienna. Sentenced to death, he is saved at the last moment by Le Fay who explains to him that if one of them dies, the other also perishes. They duel, Franz throws himself on Le Fay's sword, and both die at the same time. It is clear that they are two sides of the same personality, symbolising the conflict between rationalism and superstition.

Actor and puppet

Shadow theatre

Automaton

Adults

Sirera Rodolf

Spain

Valencia

Rationalism

Religion

Superstition

Adventure

Symbolism

Hypnotism

Spiritisme

Death

Divination

Supernatural

Love

Dramatic

Melodramatic

Philosophical tale

Catalan

Obra per a titelles i actors

Savant

Old man

Doctor

Franz-Anton Mesmer

Homes I Dones Espectadors de la sessió d'hipnotisme

Coachman

Horserider

Lady

Innkeeper

Maid

Hangman

Corpse snatcher

Prison guard

Priest

Voisine

Funfair Traveller

Bookseller

Servant

Valet

Carpenter

Soldier

Executioner

Officer

Narrator

Magic act

Throws

Projected shadows

Surprise effect

Hypnosis session

Masked characters

Sword fight

Analepsis (Flash-back)

Prolepsis (Flash-forward)

Imbroglio

La mirada de l'alquimista

The alchemist's gaze