Rugantino, dressed as a judge, welcomes Rosetta, who wants to file a complaint. She asks him who made him judge and mocks him. After threatening to throw her behind bars and to cut her tongue, she is quiet. Rugantino then turns to face the audience, all puffed up with pride, and says: “Che bella cosa! Ieri stavo a Piazza Navona a venne' le callalèsse, e Goggi?... so' ggiudice” (what a wonderful thing! Yesterday I was on the Navona square to sell boiled chestnuts, and today?...I am a judge!).

Glove-puppet

Not specified

Santangelo Gaetano (aka Ghetanaccio)

Italy

Rome

Printed excerpts

Justice

Arrogance

Usurpation

Satirical

Romanesco

Rugantino

Rosetta

Address to the public

[Rugantino giudice]

Rugantino judge

Doctor Sassafras is pleased to have a client as hypochondriac as Steinreich. This rich and selfish man forbids his niece Marie from continuing to see his secretary Schreiber, whom he dismisses. Steinreich envisions a more beneficial match for his niece. Doctor Sassafras makes a deal with the devil to summon Death. Schreiber then attempts suicide, but a gravedigger saves him, as Death is detained in Sassafras’ enchanted chair. The Devil realises that his pact with Sassafras is detrimental to him and breaks their contract. Death comes fetch the doctor, who turns to God and hopes for His mercy. In the meantime, Steinreich converted: he has become charitable and, most importantly, no longer opposes Marie and Schreiber’s union.

String marionette

Young audiences

Pocci Franz von

Germany

Munich

Printed

Medicine

Knödel

Drink

Surgery

Prestige

Wealth

Champagne

Misery

Forced marriage

Hypochondria

Vanity

Cemetery

Faust

Bible

Suicide

Sentimentalism

Religion

Farcical

Comical

Pathetic

Burlesque

Title page in the original edition of Pocci's comedies

German

oder Doctor, Tod und Teufel

Doctor

Kasperl

Secretary

Death

Devil

Peasant

Domestic servant

Gravedigger

Apparition

Parody of formal language

Dialect as a social marker

Versified passages

Allegory

Light effects

Pact with the devil

Song

Monologue

Off-stage voice

Philosophical dialogue

Final wedding

Doctor Sassafras