The bishop Simplicius invites Chrysogonus, the nephew of the governor of Patras, for lunch. A gorgeous young woman, Luce, appears to him and asks for his protection: she has vowed to remain a virgin and fled from her father, who wanted to force her to marry. She is alone for a short while, and she reveals that she is Lucifer. Simplicius is flustered: he invites Luce to have lunch with them, and falls in love with her. He appeals to the apostle saint André (Saint Andrew) to stop him from giving in to temptation. Le Pauvre (Poor Man) appears and asks to have lunch with them. Luce agrees to let him, if he can answer three riddles. Le Pauvre answers and reveals that she is Lucifer, and that he is Saint André. While Lucifer disappears in Hell, Saint André sits down to eat with Simplicius and Chrysogonus.

Not specified

France

Paris

Vegetarianism

Glutton

Charity

Lust

Devotion

Chastity

Temptation

Virginity

Devil

Religious

Fantasy

Lyrical

Comical

French

Apostle

Bishop

Servant

Poor

Saint Andrew

Address to the public

Aside

Metamorphosis

Disguise

Engulfment

Change of voice

La Dévotion à saint André

The Devotion to Saint Andrew

Theseus – duke of Athens – has just prevailed against Creon – king of Thebes. Palamon and Arcite, two Theban cousins, are found alive. Theseus imprisons them for life. The two cousins promise to never betray one another. Yet, when they hear Theseus’ sister, Emely, sing in the garden under their cell, they both fall in love with her. Their promise is then broken. In the garden, Emely finds a love letter addressed to her. She understands that it was written by a prisoner (the one whose face she has seen behind the bars of the cell, she believes). She makes a vow of chastity, promises allegiance to the goddess Diana and to the author of the letter, and then she declares that she will reject anyone that courts her. She then declines the advances of the King of India, the Duke of Brittany and the Emperor of Rome. A Theban asked for Arcite to be released. His sentence is overturned by Theseus, but he must flee Athens or be put to death. He is then seen disguised as Pentheo, who stages a masque (a sung and danced show) attended by Emely. This metatheatrical scene reproduces the story of Emely and Arcite and ends with a song. Luciana, Emely’s lady-in-waiting, has put the guards to sleep – Palamon is now free, and he meets Emely in the garden. They promise to be faithful to each other for the rest of their life. When Palamon and Arcite meet again in a forest, they start a duel – interrupted by the arrival of Theseus, who spares their lives on condition that they promise to not wage war on him. He also declares that the cousin who wins a tournament will marry Emely. Then, Palamon, Emely and Arcite respectively pray Venus, Diana and Mars, who all appear to them. Arcite wins the tournament, but he is seriously injured and eventually dies. Palamon mourns the death of his cousin, who was a friend and like a brother to him. Theseus makes a speech in his memory.

Printed

Promise

Rivalry in love

Imprisonment

Spring

Gods

Show

Tournament

Dramatic

Tragic

English

A play for puppets

Theatre within the theatre

Duel scene

Release of a prisoner

Love rivalry

Letter

Song

Prayer

Disguised character (false identity)

Apparition of a god

Palamon and Arcite

Three women – young Janet, her mother, and her grandmother – take refuge in a stable while a storm and the temptations of St. Anthony are raging outside. Janet asks in vain to be explained what these temptations are. Saint Anthony (called Anthony Perkins) is in a cell and only has his Halo, his Clock, and his Calendar as friends. He prays to Zeus to send him temptations, for they never reach him. Time flies, and he ends up dying of boredom. Shortly after Anthony’s death, the now old Queen of Sheba enters his cell, accompanied by Gustave Flaubert. The Queen of Sheba dies, disappointed that she could not tempt Anthony. Flaubert asks two eunuchs to bury them. Cleo di Patra appears in the sky, surrounded by angels. The play ends with a great ballet and a funeral cortege.