Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary come on, looking for a place to rest. Marie is about to give birth to the Infant Jesus, but all the doors are locked. They exit the stage. The next scenery shows the Nativity scene with the Holy Family. A choir accompanied by guitar music announces the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the Shepherds, who have come to bring him gifts. They exit the stage when the Magi arrive. The latter leave the gifts and greet the child. The Choirmaster of the Angels initiates the Dance of the Angels and the play ends with a last song of praise, sung in unison.

Single rod marionettes

Not specified

Portugal

Borba

Évora

Printed

Crib

Nativity

Peasant condition

Religious

Lyrical

Satirical

Comical

Bonecos de Santo Aleixo: Joseph, Mary and the Infant Jesus

Portuguese

Joseph

Virgin Mary

Angel

Shepherd

Wise Men (Biblical Magi)

Melopoeia

Chorus

Board

Comical foreign accent

Comical regional accent

Kicking on the ground (sound effect)

Sung scenes

Auto do Nascimento do Menino

Auto of the Nativity

The widow Werner lives with her young son Ludwig in misery: a sad Christmas is coming. To surprise her son, Mrs Werner goes out to buy a small pine tree and some apples. In her absence, Ludwig writes a letter to baby Jesus, asking for an illustrated Bible: he throws the letter out of the window addressing it to the angels. On Christmas morning, a package is delivered containing the Bible he asked for. The donor is Friedrich Walter, an old friend of the deceased Karl Werner: he has just returned from a long trip to the Orient and is inquiring at the police station about the widow's address, when some officers tell him of the amusing discovery of Ludwig's letter. Friedrich Walter takes the widow and child under his protection.

String marionette

Young audiences

Pocci Franz von

Germany

Munich

Poverty

Reading

Education

Hanswurst

Kasperl

Bible

Childhood

Piety

Sentimentalism

Social realism

Christmas

Realist

Pathetic

German

Metatheatre

Monologue

Letter

Transforming scenery

Deus ex machina

Der Weihnachts-Brief

Christmas Letter

The show is divided into two parts. In the first part, Joseph and Mary arrive at Tirisiti's inn, who refuses to give them shelter. This is followed by the traditional episodes of the angel’s appearance, the nativity, the adoration of the shepherds and the Magi. During the flight to Egypt, the Holy Family finds refuge under a palm tree which conceals them from the eyes of their pursuers. The Captain of the soldiers interrogates the farmers who tell him that they saw the fugitives passing by while they were sowing. At that moment, the wheat sprouts miraculously, confusing the soldiers who give up the pursuit. The tree opens its palms and reveals the Holy Family who continue on their way.
The second part, the one with secular action, is divided in six scenes with situations and characters from Alcoy. The Night watchman announces the time and wakes up the characters one after the other. Tirisiti comically presents the local community on its way to mass. An old man argues with the altar boy who holds the church door. Tirisiti sends his wife Tereseta to mass, who exchanges a kiss with the sacristan, but the crowd warns her husband about it. The community leaves the church at the end of the mass, while Tirisiti is repeating his comments. A bull appears and threatens Tirisiti. The famous bullfighter Clásico makes some bullfighting passes in front of Tirisiti who boasts that he can do better than him. A chase begins between the bull and Tirisiti. The bells ring, announcing the march of Moors and Christians who come forward, as in the traditional Alcoy festival. The city's patron saint, Saint Jordi, appears on top of the castle. Tirisiti decides to leave the city, packs his bags and leaves for the Moon in a hot-air balloon. But the hot-air balloon bursts and Tirisiti falls with it.

All audiences

Pepe Esteve el Betlemero (Josep Esteve, aka el Betlemero)

Spain

Alcoy

Swazzle

Custom

Folklore

Popular theatre

Spanish bullfighting

Party

Gas balloon

Mass (liturgy)

Daily life

Comments

Bullfighting

Visitation Festival

Didactic

Catalan

Innkeeper

Melchior

Soldier

Night watchman

Grand-father

Sacristan

Bullfighter

Bull

Saint George

Moorish

Jesus

Caspar

Balthazar

Captain

Choirboy

Christian

Ploughman

Narrator

Address to the public

Dialogue with the audience

Fight with an animal

Chase

Christmas carol

Instrumental tune

Apparition

Improvised dialogue

Current affairs

El Betlem de Tirisiti

La crèche de Tirisiti

Zechariah prays to God for a son. The Archangel Gabriel appears and announces that his wish is granted, but Zachariah does not believe him. Because of his disbelief, the Angel strikes him mute. When Zechariah comes back home, his wife Elizabeth announces that their son is born. Meanwhile, Marie rejects Joseph’s marriage proposal. The Archangel Gabriel appears before her and announces the birth of her cousin Elizabeth’s son. Marie must have a son too. She must accept Joseph’s proposal and, after visiting her cousin, go to Bethlehem with her husband. Marie obeys. Three Magi present themselves at Herod’s court. They have heard that the king of the Jews is born and are looking for him to bring him presents. Herod did not know about his being born. As soon at the Magi leave, he orders that the child be found and killed. In the stable, the Shepherds join the Angel in a song to rejoice about the birth of the Saviour. The Magi offer their presents to the infant Jesus. The Angel warns them about Herod’s order and asks them to go back home by a different route. As the Magi do not come back, Herod orders that all the children under two be killed. Later, the Angel tells Marie and Joseph that they can go back to Judea because Herod has died.

Belgium

Liège

Manuscript

Prayer

Birth

Annunciation

The Massacre of the Innocents

Dramatic

Pierre-Paul Pinet, Li Naissance, first page of the manuscript.

French

Gabriel

Herod

Priest

Apparition of an angel

Song

Speechless character

Massacre scene

Li Naissance

The Birth

Saint Pierre (Saint Peter), helped by four cherubs, prepares the scene of the Nativity. He rehearses the hymns, and sends the star to the Rois Mages (Biblical Magi) who are gathering at Melchior’s house, from where they will start the journey. In the stable of Matthieu (Matthew), mayor of Bethlehem, Chérubin (Cherub) gives the animals the ability to speak for one evening; they make fun of humans. Meanwhile, Pascal, the mayor’s blind son, urges his parents to search the stable without explaining what he is looking for. Two shepherds argue before being lectured by a third one who urges them to get going. The Rois Mages stop at Hérode’s (Herod) house, who wants to know where they are going. Matthieu visits the scribe Estève, in charge of the census, and the hoteliers Barabbas and Iscariote (Iscariot): the latter complains about the bad behaviour of his son Judas. Saint Joseph and the Vierge Marie (Virgin Mary) turn up for the census and ask the hoteliers for a room, but they refuse. Saint Pierre takes them to his stable that he sets up for the birth of Jésus and the arrival of the popular characters. Pascal miraculously gets his sight back, and the Rois Mages arrive.

Glove-puppet

Gignoux Hubert

Czechia

Moravská Třebová

Star

Biblical Magi

Christmas preparations

Prison camp

Miracle

Disobedient child

Fantasy

Hubert Gignoux, Noël des anges, 1945. Marcelle Moynier’s copy (Puppet Theatre of Geneva)

Saint Peter

Horse

Goat

Sheep

Mayor

Barabbas

Countryside ranger

Donkey

Judas

Object coming to life

Talking animal

Canticle

Noël des anges

The Angels' Christmas

Joseph is in love with Mary, but she rejects his clumsy advances. Tchantchès tries in vain to help Joseph. The archangel Gabriel appears to Mary and asks her to go back on her decision. He announces that she will have son and that she will have to call him Jesus. Then Gabriel appears to Joseph and reassures him: he will not be rejected this time. Mary and Joseph leave together for Bethlehem. The journey is a long one, the due date is approaching, and Joseph is looking for a place to rest. Pierre (Peter), the owner of a restaurant, offers them to stay in the old stable behind his establishment. They gladly accept. Three Magi present themselves at Herod’s court: they have heard that the King of the Jews is born and are looking to bring him gifts. Jesus is born in the stable. Tchantchès and Nanesse congratulate the parents. The Magi bring him their presents. Later, Joseph learns about the emperor’s order – all the children under two will be killed. He is scared, but Tchantchès promises to help him. While Joseph and Mary are getting ready to flee, Tchantchès fights the knight who has come to kill Jesus and triumphs over him. Joseph and Marie leave for Egypt with their son.