Polichinelle tells the Compère (sidekick) that he started selling lazzis (divertissements) to support his six lovers but fears that he will lack wit. A Magicien (Magician) helps him by sending him to a sabbat, where he can become a sorcerer. The Lazzistes come one by one and make requests which he cannot fulfil. Polichinelle promises Mlle Tonton that he will introduce her to M. l’Ingrat. He makes a miniature theatre appear for M. Bavard. Mlle Tonton and M. l’Ingrat recognise one another and have a lovers’ quarrel. M. Souverain makes a sensational entry. To support his claim that he is the greatest Lazziste, he starts a firework show and announces the beginning of the supper.

Rod and string marionette

Not specified

Salley Charles-Alexandre

Comte de Caylus (Anne-Claude-Philippe de Tubières de Grimoard de Pestels de Lévis de Caylus)

France

Paris

Printed

Fart

Sabbath

Society Theatre

Friendship

Licentiousness

Quarrel

Love argument

Farcical

Comical

French

Polichinelle

The Interpreter

Magician

Savoyard

Pierrot

Scene of recognition

Magic act

Dialogue between characters who do not see each other

Word for another

Theatre within the theatre

Dialogue with a character in the audience

Letter

Polichinelle lazziste

A marquis with a suggestive name (the Marquis de Coquencu, literally Marquis of Rooster-in-ass) exposes his run of bad luck to the audience: him and the Marquise (Marchioness) cannot conceive a child. He uses different tricks, such as stimulating drugs or increasingly bizarre sexual games to finally have an heir. However, the Marquise’s moods change from one extreme to the other; she beats the Marquis, and feigns a feeling of faintness to have an affair with the Domestique (Servant). In the second act, two new characters hide in the bushes to defecate, leading to numerous scatological jokes, most notably when the Marquise, pregnant, assures that she enjoys the smell of excrement to the point of asking the Marquis to bring them back to their place and cook them. The play ends with another domestic quarrel.

Glove-puppet

Adults

Rolland Amédée

Jean Duboys (Jean-Charles Du Boys)

Eroticism

Pornography

Sexuality

Adultery

Scatology

Servant

Couple

Pregnancy

Erotic

Le Théâtre érotique de la rue de la Santé (1866 edition). Anonymous illustration.

Toucher de la merde c’est signe d’argent

Erotic scene

Scene of copulation

Aria

Song

Comedy of language

Situation comedy

Defecation on stage

Argument

Seduction scene

Signe d'argent

Sign of money

Don Juan tries to abduct Admirelles – the daughter of the governor of Barcelona Don Pedro, whom he turned away to his rival Don Philippo’s advantage. He is caught by Don Pedro and kills him, then he kills his uncle to rob him of his wealth and leaves town using the sewers. Don Juan and Kasper hide in a wood, where Don Juan kills a hermit to steal his trousers. Thus disguised, he kills Don Philippo, who was chasing him. The statue of Don Pedro appears to him. Don Juan invites him over for dinner. After a shipwreck, Don Juan and Kasper reunite at a wedding, during which one seduces the bride Zerlinchen and the other seduces her friend Berta. Don Pedro comes for dinner and insists that Don Juan visit him in his vault. Don Juan goes back to Barcelona during the night, enters the tomb and is damned. Kasper fled without further ado.