The play begins with a council of Démons (Demons) during which Pluton (Pluto), furious that Antoine (Anthony) is diverting the souls of the Underworld with his prayers, orders the Démons to capture him, and promises a reward for the one who will succeed. Proserpine (Proserpina), his wife, asks for permission to go alone to seduce the hermit. Antoine recognises her immediately and resists her charms. Pluton then tries a different approach, and pretends to be a beggar caught in a storm. Exposed, he asks Antoine to surrender his soul to him, but the hermit reasserts his faith in God. The Démons then appear suddenly, drag Antoine in a hellish dance and set fire to the tail of his Cochon (Pig). They also destroy his hermitage and tell him that they will transform his faithful companion into a sausage. Antoine is exhausted and begs God, who sends down an Ange (Angel) to rebuild the chapel and turn Pluton into a basket of flowers. During the grand finale, Antoine rises to the sky followed by his Cochon.

String marionette

All audiences

France

Printed

Hell

Revenge

Monk

Temptation

Seduction

Belief

Reward

Joke

Miracle

Religious

Comical

Fantasy

French

Pluto

Devil

Proserpina

Prime Minister

Demon

Sculptor monk

Angel

Song

Avista

Chorus

Apparition of demons

Disguised character (false identity)

Change of head on sight

Dance

Demons dance

Thunderbolt

Off-stage voice

Apotheosis

Ascent to heaven

La Tentation de Saint-Antoine

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Polichinell enters singing, reveling in spring. He stops in a forest for a snack break. A starving dog comes, and he gives it a piece of bread. The dog undergoes a metamorphosis: it actually is Fairy Rosa (Fée Rosa), who was the prisoner of a spell and who is now free of it thanks to Polichinell’s generosity. She wants to reward him, but Polichinell refuses because he wants to stay poor. He meets Herr von Neid (Desire) and accepts to be his servant. The Devil, who wishes for Polichinell’s downfall, rejoices to have brought them together. Neid and his wife Bosheit (Wickedness) overwhelm him with work, but Polichinell manages to complete the work straight away. Bosheit entrusts Polichinell with her little daughter Unart (Bad habit), who will not stop crying, and who accidentally falls out of the window. Bosheit comes back, learns of Unart’s fall, and beats him with a stick. Polichinell fights back, knocks her out, and does the same to Neid. Fairy Rosa advises Polichinell, who has now become rich thanks to Herr von Neil’s assets, to carry on with his good behavior. In Polichinell’s new house, Habakuk, his servant, leaves him after stealing some of his wealth. Türk the dog bites Polichinell’s nose and Hector the horse kicks him before biting him. After many failed attempts, Polichinell manages to climb on Hector’s back, but the horse makes him fall and flees. Herr von Schadenfroh (The One who rejoices from the misfortune of others), who pretends to be Polichinell’s friend, bursts out of laughter after hearing his misadventures. They fight, and Herr von Shadenfroh is killed by Polichinell. Princess Miauline asks Polichinell to deliver her father, the King of Trapezunt, who is the prisoner of the Magician Gewalt (Violence). The Devil unsuccessfully warns Gewalt of Polichinell’s arrival: Gewalt is convinced that his constable Popanz (Straw) will defend him. Polichinell, thanks to an enchanted chime gifted by Fairy Rosa, makes the castle’s guards fall asleep and frees the King of Trapezunt. At the entrance of the palace, he meets Habakuk, who has become Gewalt’s servant and who refuses to let him in. Polichinell beats Habakuk, enchants Gewalt with the chime, fights, and kills him. Habakuk comes back and has Polichinell arrested and brought before Gewalt. After a mock-trial, Polichinell is sentenced to death by hanging. Polichinell is imprisoned and robbed of the talisman which the fairy had given him, and which served as a protection. Habakuk is in charge of Polichinell’s hanging, but Polichinell manages to hang him instead and then kills Popanz and his guards. Polichinell calls the Devil, fights with him, and kills him. The Fairy makes her appearance again and officiates Polichnell and Miauline’s wedding.

Young audiences

Germany

Wickedness

Murder

Wealth

Labour

German

Polichinelle

Fairy

King

Princess

Count

Minister

Policeman

Baby

Domestic servant

Genie

Horse

Guard

Monologue

Aria

Versified passages

Metamorphosis

Apparition of the Devil

Blow-with-a-stick

Death on stage

Allegory

Hanging scene

Final wedding

Polichinell

Cassandre wants to marry his daughter Colombine to the baker Pierrot, but she prefers Arlequin, his cousin, a wigmaker and the inventor of an anti-baldness cream. Cassandre is about to eat an egg from the bird Rock, but the bird steals his wig. He promises to give his daughter’s hand to anyone who will be able to bring the wig back to him. With the help of his godmother the Fée Carabosse (Wicked Fairy), Pierrot travels in the air, accompanied by Arlequin, who grabbed his leg. They arrive on an island where a crocodile almost eats Pierrot, and they embark on a small boat that breaks in half after an argument between them. On the Île des Bêtes (Island of the Beasts), the Lion is upset because it is losing its mane. Arlequin offers it the cream, but first, he tries it on Pierrot. The Lion is enthusiastic and decides to name it the Pommade du Lion (Cream of the Lion). Cassandre arrives, and when he witnesses Arlequin’s success, he gives him Colombine’s hand in marriage.

Rod and string marionette

Séraphin Pauline

Paris

Baldness

Invention

Island

Travel in the air

Boat trip

Broom

Argument

Forced marriage

Animal

Cassandre

Arlecchino

Pierrot

Notary

Colombine

Wicked Fairy

Lion

Monkey

Parrot

Magpie

Bird Roc

Love rivalry

Fight with an animal

Apparition

Talking animal

La Perruque de Cassandre

Cassandre's wig

Séraphin wants to marry his daughter Colombine to Pierrot, but she prefers Arlequin, a wigmaker and the inventor of an anti-baldness cream. Séraphin is about to eat an egg from the bird Rock, but the bird steals his wig. He promises to give his daughter’s hand to anyone who will be able to bring the wig back to him. With the help of his godmother the Fée Carabosse (Wicked Fairy), Pierrot travels in the air, accompanied by Arlequin, who grabbed his leg. They arrive on an island where a crocodile almost eats Pierrot, and they embark on a small boat that breaks in half after an argument between them. On the Île des Bêtes (Island of the Beasts), the Lion is upset because it is losing its mane. Arlequin offers it the cream, but first, he tries it on Pierrot. The Lion is enthusiastic and decides to name it the Pommade du Lion (Cream of the Lion). Séraphin arrives, and when he witnesses Arlequin’s success, he gives him Colombine’s hand in marriage.

Choisy Laure

Switzerland

Geneva

Typed or electronic text with handwritten annotations

Marcelle Moynier, the director of the Théâtre des marionnettes de Genève, with the puppets of La Perruque de l'oncle Séraphin.

Colombina

Figaro

Crocodile

Object coming to life

Final song

La Perruque de l'oncle Séraphin

Uncle Séraphin’s Wig

A Soldier gives his only three coins to a Beggar whom he crosses path with thrice. The latter reveals himself to be SaintPeter. Saint Peter wanted to test the Soldier’s generosity, so he gives him a magical bag which can make all of his wishes come true. In a tavern, the Soldier learns that the Princess Tutu is held prisoner by the Devil in a haunted castle. Thrown out of the tavern after having stolen a turkey and some wine, the Soldier finds shelter for the night in the castle. He captures the Devil thanks to his bag and hands him over to the King. They kill the Devil together. However, the King had granted his daughter’s hand in marriage to Prince Panpan. The Soldier convinces the King to let him marry his daughter instead, and swears to defeat the army of Prince Panpan. Thanks to his magical bag, the Soldier prevails over the army. But Prince Panpan, the King and Princess Tutu, who has become weary of her new husband, unite so that they can kill the Soldier. The Princess tells them of the secret bag. Together, they hang the bag over the ramparts, but they get carried away by the weight of the Soldier and they all crash on the ground. The three characters knock on Heaven’s door, but they are denied access. The Soldier cannot enter Hell because the Devil is scared of him. Saint Peter refuses that he goes to Heaven because he has stolen a turkey and wine. The Soldier gives him the bag back, but he uses the magic spell which sends the four of them into the bag, thus allowing them to go to Heaven. Disconcerted, Saint Peter asks God for help, and God allows the four characters to stay in Heaven despite their misdeeds. Saint Peter wonders what his actual role is.