Rosalinde, dressed as a male student, enters Doctor Faust’s home and gives him a book of magical spells. As a consequence, Faust believes he is making a deal with the devil, but he is in fact the victim of a trick orchestrated by the young woman, who conspired with Faust’s houseboy – Hans Wurst. When Satan comes back at midnight, he tells Faust that he has no intention of keeping his promises, and that the poor man has sold his soul for nothing. And yet, he grants him a final trial, which could save him from Hell: Faust must resist the gorgeous Helen of Troy. But he gives in the moment that she appears to him. Rosalinde then reveals that she was both the devil and the beautiful Helen: it is to her that he has devoted his body and soul. The play ends with two weddings, as Rosalinde’s servant, Lisette, is Hans Wurst’s sweetheart.

Not specified

Germany

Augsburg

Printed

Scholar

Sorcery

Madness

Humour

Professor

Gluttony

Doctor

Sophism

Devil

Joke

Morality

Woman

Seduction

Comical

Parodistic

Satirical

Title page of the play in Johann Scheible's Das Kloster (1847)

German

Faust

Hanswurst

Domestic servant

Student

Helen of Troy

Monologue

Aside

Disguise

Cross-dressing

Metadiscourse on puppet theatre

Sung scenes

Word for another

Chorus

Pact with the devil

Misunderstanding

Scene of recognition

Final wedding

Final song

Johann Faust oder der gefoppte Doktor

Johann Faust or the duped doctor

Casperl gets drunk with the hunter Thomerl and Thomerl offers to put Casperl’s wife Grethl to the test: Casperl has to fake an illness that will lead to his death, and Thomerl, disguised as a doctor, will come and certify the death. As soon as Casperl is pronounced dead, Grethl tries to console herself in the arms of Lieutenant Pulvermann. The fake dead man is resurrected, a fight ensues in which Pulvermann is killed and the corpse is taken backstage. A police officer comes to seize Casperl, but husband and wife join forces against the impetuous man, who is forced to give in to the violence. To celebrate their reconciliation, Casperl and Grethl go to the inn, where they also meet with Thomerl.

Pocci Franz von

Munich

Wedding

Household

Philosophy

Beer

Wine

Drunkenness

Medicine

Grief

Scatology

Reconciliation

Tavern

Farcical

Ein beispielloses Spektakelstück

Kasperl

Thomerl

Mrs Kasperl

Lieutenant

Police officer

Macaronism

Song

Spying scene

Parody of formal language

Fake death

Dream

Brawl

Murder on stage

Dance

Slaps

Die Prüfung

The test

Surprised by a downpour, Prince Alfred and his companion von Edelfels take refuge in Casperl’s household while Grethl waits for her husband to return from the inn. Casperl arrives in a very drunken state and immediately falls asleep. The prince, who had retired with von Edelfels to a nearby hovel, has an idea for a joke. He has the sleeping Casperl taken to a luxurious room, where he is treated with full honours. Soon Casperl does not know whether he is Casperl or Prince Schnuri... Pretending to be his doctor, Prince Alfred gives him a sleeping pill, and Casperl wakes up a few hours later in his old room. Von Edelfels, disguised as a magician, assures him that he is indeed Prince Schnuri, but that as a punishment for being a drunkard he has been turnt into a ‘dumb man’. Casperl finds Grethl and promises to make amends, all while announcing that he will drink many more litres of beer.

String marionette

Young audiences

Excessive drinking

Rain

Aristocracy

Luxury

Sausage

Metempsychosis

Black

Magic

Otto von Bismarck

Moralische Komödie in drei Aufzügen

Prince

Moorish

Valet

Off-stage voice

Pyrotechnics

Board

Current affairs

Incognito

Casperl als Prinz

Casperl prince

Madame Benoiton calls the doctor Prudhomme, as she says that she is unwell. However, she refuses to specify where she is hurting, only declaring that she is suffering. Facing this lack of information, the doctor prescribes her a course of treatment in either Vichy or the Pyrenees. Madame Benoiton refuses, saying that there, “we are bored to death”. Prudhomme then suggests sea bathing, but she also refuses because it would impose three toiletry changes and dance parties every day. Puzzled, the doctor finally diagnoses her with something: he advises her to find a “toy”. She admits that she feels a void in her heart. He believes that she is in love with him and starts wooing her. They discover that Madame Benoiton enjoys poetry. Prudhomme recites a madrigal that he used a lot when he was younger; even after this, Madame Benoiton is not satisfied. Prudhomme offers to hypnotise her. When she falls asleep, he questions her and discovers that her heart suffers… because of him. The doctor is the cause of her troubles. Moved, he kneels before her and declares his love. To his surprise, Madame Benoiton bursts into laughter. He realises that she was not asleep but that she followed his first advice: to find a “toy”.

Glove-puppet

Lemercier de Neuville Louis

France

Boredom

Poetry

Love

Magnetism

Lemercier de Neuville, illustration for Madame Benoiton est indisposée, 1868.