Polichinelle and the Compère talk about a naval battle which has just taken place. A troupe of French and Italian comedians is attacked at sea by corsairs led by a French renegade. The latter brings them to Tunis. The actors put on a show for the Gouverneur (Governor), scare the audience with Arlequin’s mask and are sent to work in the fields. The actresses reject the Gouverneur’s advances (Governor). The renegade plans their escape, so that they can go back to France.

Rod and string marionette

Not specified

France

Paris

Manuscript

Relationship between Christians and Muslims

Tunisia

Corsair

Slavery

Treason

Renegade

Harassment

Minor news

Agriculture

Censorship

Dramatic

French

Actor

Polichinelle

The Interpreter

Soldier

Pierrot

Messenger

Swiss

Leandre

Pantaloon

Arlecchino

Theatre within the theatre

Song

Masked characters

Avista

Prologue

Comical foreign accent

Dialogue with a character in the audience

Current affairs

Naval combat

La Prise d'une troupe de comédiens par un corsaire de Tunis au mois de septembre 1740

A troupe of actors captured by a corsair from Tunis in September 1740

The puppeteer is an inmate. He plays his puppet show for an audience of psychology students who have come to hear him relate his autobiographical story. He introduces the characters: Dean’s puppet, Wayne’s puppet, and the puppets of several dead boys. He also plays his own role, that of David. David and Wayne are a teenage couple. Dean is older than them. In their house, they talk of multiple murders they committed together: in the cave, the victims were killed by Dean, with the help of Wayne, after having been sexually assaulted, tortured and mutilated. The crimes were recorded on camera by David. The series of murders goes on until the murder of Jamie – a boy Wayne was in love with. Wayne is blinded by rage and kills Dean. David suggests that they put an end to the killing spree. Wayne agrees in a first time. But when he meets Brad, another boy, and engages in an erotic game at the end of which he takes Dean’s place: he tortures Brad until he kills him. After the murder, David kills Wayne during a panic attack. Then he calls the police and confesses to his crimes.

Actor and puppet

Glove-puppet

Ventriloquism

Full-view manipulation

Adults

Cooper Dennis

Brest

Electronic text

Murder

Torture

Blood

Perversity

Madness

Drugs

Serial killer

Teenagers

United States of America

Drug addiction

Homosexuality

Schizophrenia

Evil

Tragic

Humorous

Gore

Dennis Cooper, Jerk, stage direction by Gisèle Vienne, 2008.

English

Alternating narrative / dialogue

Recounting of memories

Address to the public

Puppet theatre within the theatre

Off-stage voice

Musical pause

Jerk