The Bonhomme Janvier (January Man), who came all the way from the infinity of space to Earth on New Year’s day, is welcomed by Pierrot. It is his first visit since the capture of Carthage, and he notices a lot of changes. Later, Pierrot’s clever uncle Gorgibus arrives. He talks to the Bonhomme Janvier with a lot of irony and contempt. He tries to hit him with a stick but fails: Janvier uses a magic trick and Gorgibus ends up frozen for the eight first days of the year. Shortly after, two children, Arlequin and Léandre, arrive. Pierrot and the Bonhomme Janvier make themselves invisible to listen to their conversation. The two boys complain about the useless and outmoded presents they were given. Pierrot and the Bonhomme Janvier reappear at this very moment. Janvier decides to take back all their presents to teach them a lesson. Paulin, Jacques Labor’s son, arrives. Invisible again, Pierrot and the Bonhomme Janvier listen to him talk about New Year. Unlike the others, Paulin expresses hope and enthusiasm regarding the year to come; the Bonhomme Janvier is surprised. Paulin’s father joins him and shares the same thoughts. Touched by the wisdom of the child, the Bonhomme Janvier promises to reward him. As for the other children, he decides to cancel their presents for the following year.

Glove-puppet

Young audiences

des Essarts Emmanuel

France

Paris

Printed

Party

Gift

Magic

Invisible

Child

Revenge

Fantasy

Edifying

Alfred des Essarts, illustration for Le Bonhomme Janvier, 1863.

French

Father Christmas

Pierrot

Savant

Arlecchino

Artist

Aside

Invisible character

Blow-with-a-stick

Magical formula

Le Bonhomme Janvier

The January Man

Alcide Cervi was a farmer. In 1934 he moved with his family to Gattatico, near Reggio Emilia, on a piece of land called Campirossi ("red fields"), which nobody wanted because it was infertile. He lives there with his nine children: seven boys and two girls. With hard work, they manage to make these fields prosper, and the family can afford to buy a tractor. The Cervi family is known for their anti-fascist political positions. After July 1943, when the Americans landed and Mussolini was arrested, all seemed well. But in November of the same year, a hundred fascists besieged the Campirossi house. The seven brothers try to resist, but they are arrested and eventually executed. As a sign of support and respect, Alcide Cervi never ceased to receive gifts from all sides: a Bible from the Fiat factory workers in Turin, a globe from the agricultural cooperative workers in Santa Vittoria, skittles for his grandchildren from some friends of the boules club. Finally, the puppeteer himself, Maurizio Bercini, wants to give Alcide a gift: a puppet with his features, with which he can transform pain 'into serenity and play'.

Object theatre

Rod puppet

Direct Manipulation Bunraku-type Puppetry

All audiences

Allegri Marina

Italy

Parma

Electronic text

Resistance

Resistance fighter

Partisan struggle

Politics

Capital executions and executors

Fascism

Murder

Brother

Large family

Family

Communism

Friendship

Community

Farming

Animated object

Didactic

Realist

Italian

I doni di papà Cervi

Musician

Alcide Cervi

Puppeteer

Story

Narrative Theater

Alternating narrative / dialogue

Address to the public

Narrator

Inserting poetry

Avista

Caricature

Dialogue with the audience

Murder on stage

Cide

Cide. Father Cervi's gifts