Felix Techno is the inventor of a time machine which he demonstrates to the audience. He gives Technikus, a robot, to his nephew Peter, but makes it malfunction to punish him for his poor performance at school and to see if Peter and his friend Kalle can control it. The deranged robot wreaks havoc on the city. Felix, who observes the events from the future, returns to take part in them under different disguises. When the robot continues its journey into space, Felix dons a spacesuit and brings it back to Earth. The inventor decides to give the robot to Kalle, who has managed to control it, because "technology belongs to the one who controls it".

Young audiences

Focke Gerd

Germany

Printed

Time travel

Physics

Dysfunction

Cosmic journey

Spoutnik

Learning

Diving suit

Television

Robot

Dinosaur

Music

Time

Disobedience

Radio

School

Technical

Comical

Parodistic

German

Eine utopische Märchenkomödie für einen Schauspieler und einige Puppen

Inventor

Physician

Vendeur de journaux

Schoolteacher

Police officer

Fireman

Astronaut

Und die halbe Weltgeschichte, von übermorgen bis zur Zeit der Dinosaurier (oder umgekehrt)

Scene in the dark

Address to the public

Surprise effect

Speeding up of time

Personified object

Disguised character (false identity)

Unexpected turn of events

Running gag

Argument

Instrumental tune

Spying scene

Commentary

Chase

Transformism

Peter und der Roboter

Peter et le robot

Miséria est un vieux forgeron qui passe ses journées à travailler le fer. Son seul plaisir est de prendre soin de son noyer. Un jour, São Pedro (Saint Pierre) vient lui rendre visite, demandant un fer à cheval. Comme il ne lui en reste plus, Miséria lui propose de prendre celui qui est un porte-bonheur en argent. Quelques temps plus tard, São Pedro retourne chez Miséria, disant qu’il peut demander un souhait. Miséria demande que ceux qui grimpent dans son noyer pour voler des noix finissent prisonniers de l’arbre. 
Quand la Mort arrive pour chercher Miséria, il fait un pacte avec le diable, avec lequel il gagne 20 ans. Au bout de 20 ans, la Mort revient. A ce moment, Miséria lui demande un dernier souhait : qu’elle grimpe à l’arbre pour lui chercher une noix. Ainsi, la Mort devient prisonnière du noyer. Tant qu'elle est prisonnière de l'arbre, le soleil ne se couche plus, il n’y a plus de vent, les feuilles restent immobiles ; le monde s’est arrêté. Miséria finit pas libérer la Mort à condition qu’elle lui promette la vie éternelle. La Mort accepte, mais le prévient qu’il regrettera son souhait. La pièce finit avec le vieux forgeron qui travaille le fer, se plaignant de son sort : son arbre qui était la raison de son existence vient de mourir et il reste condamné à la vie éternelle.

Rod puppet

Adults

Portugal

Porto

Electronic text

Death

Old age

Tree

Deal with the Devil

Tale

Desires

Human condition

Eternal punishment

Immortality

Philosophical tale

Tragic

Dramatic

Miséria (Teatro de Marionetas do Porto, 1991)

Portuguese

Old man

Blacksmith

Devil

Saint Peter

Voice

Apparition of a Saint

Narrator

Apparition of Death

Song

Peasant accent

Change of voice

Smoke

Flying character

Miséria

Misère

A suitcase is moving on the baggage carousel of an airport, of a supermarket or of an industrial area. It is followed by several objects and goods. As the carousel speeds up, the actors handle the goods frenetically. Their struggle to follow the speed of the machine is reflected in their movements. 
The carousel slows down and the actors use their bare hands to mime imaginary objects - glasses being toasted, or a calabash being carried. Then they exchange various objects: a shotgun, a hammer, a book, an axe, … The carousel stops and the actors bring other objects on stage, which they manipulate or simply put on the floor: a small toy car, trophies, a mannequin’s arm, a fire extinguisher, a heater, a loudspeaker, an umbrella, … At the end of the show, boards with outlines representing members of the audience slowly come nearer to the proscenium until the final curtain comes down.