Alcide (Alcides) is in love with Alceste (Alcestis) and grieves when she marries Admète (Admetus). Straton learns that Céphise is leaving him, since she loves Licas now. Lycomède (Lycomedes), another character in love with Alceste, is planning a party in honour of the newly-wed—Admète and Alceste. He abducts Alceste, taking her to his ship guarded by his sister Thétis, who unleashes a tempest soon stopped by Eole (Aeolus). Licomède holds Alceste captive, but Alcide and Admète arrive with an army to set her free. The assailants win the battle, but Admète is mortally wounded. Apollon (Apollo) announces that he will come back to life if someone agrees to die in his stead: Alceste decides to sacrifice herself. Alcide makes her cross the Styx. Pluton (Pluto) does not care about Alceste’s sacrifice. Alcide arrives and asks for Alceste; she is handed back to him. Licas and Straton ask Céphise to choose between them, then the three of them agree that you should not marry if you want to stay in love. At first, Alcide wants to assert his rights over Alceste; however, he renounces when he witnesses the sorrow of the two lovers: he gives Alceste back to Admète.

Rod and string marionette

Not specified

France

Paris

Manuscript

Love

Sacrifice

Heroism

Kidnapping

Battle

Siege

Grief

Descent into hell

Trap

Greek mythology

Immortality

Parodistic

French

Hercules

Alcestis

Admetus

Lycomedes

Lychas

Thétis

Eole

Apollo

Mercury

Pluto

Charon

Shadow

Combattant

Choir

Monster

Comical regional accent

Spectacular turn of events

Metatheatre

Ballet

Song

Love rivalry

Final song

Alceste

As the city-state of Faleria is being besieged by the Roman Camillo, Erippo, a teacher, decides to betray his city and hand the children of the Falerian nobility to Camillo as hostages. To avoid being thought of as a traitor, he manages to make the children betray the city themselves by pretending that his daughter Cloridea has been abducted by Camillo and his son Quinzio. Cajetto, Cloridea’s brother and the children’s chosen King, is set on sending ambassadors to Camillo to save his sister. He explains his plan to his other sister, Tulliola, who worries about her lover Fabiello, the pupils’ Great Councillor. She manages to convince the latter to remain hidden; thus, Crispino and Grino are appointed ambassadors. Crispino refuses to betray Faleria and negotiate with the enemy; Cajetto challenges him to a duel. Agripina also fears for Fabiello, whom she is secretly in love with. Diana keeps Cajetto and Crispino from fighting and announces that everything is unfolding according to the gods’ design. Agripina asks Cajetto not to send her brother Crispino: as he agrees to her request, he declares his love to her and decides to send Fabiello instead, to the young girl’s utter despair. Tulliola rejoices at her brother and lover having been spared, but Agripina lets her know that Fabiello was appointed ambassador. Floruccio came to declare his love to Tulliola; to create a diversion, the latter asks him to fulfil the mission. Fabiello overhears the conversation and believes that Tulliola has betrayed him. He stops hiding and decides to fulfil her request: he will be the one to go. To warn her lover and offer herself as a hostage, Tulliola dresses in man’s clothes and goes to meet Camillo. When Grino, whom Fabiello sent scouting, tells her that he met a giant, Tulliola tries to divert his attention from the mission by pretending that she has been sent by Camillo, who wants to meet the Master rather than the pupils. While Erippo is being interviewed by Camillo, Floruccio spreads a rumour: Fabiello has betrayed the city to get rid of his rival. Crispino announces that Camillo is generous and has both refused to take children as hostages and reported their master as a traitor to the Falerian Senate. Fabiello and Tulliola are speaking; she convinces him of her love: the jealous Floruccio walks in on them as they are exchanging vows. Fabiello is wanted, and Cajetto throws him in jail. As Tulliola is trying to free him, the lovers are caught. Floruccio announces that the Falerian Senate is opening the gates of the city to Camillo—to thank him for his magnanimity. The children fear for Erippo, and Cajetto wants to avenge his father by punishing Tulliola and her lover. The stage transforms: Apollo appears and announces that Erippo will be forgiven. He orders the children to resume their studies. The play ends with three weddings.

String marionette

Gori Antonio (aka Goanto Rinio)

Italy

Venice

Printed

School

Rivals

Treason

Hostage

Mock-heroic

Dramatic

Epic

Farcical

Il Cajetto, 1746 (title page)

Italian

Sister

Brother

Diana

Chorus

Music

Children games

Foresight

Duel scene

Monologue

Messenger

Cross-dressing

Hidden character

Arrest scene

Confinement

Final wedding

Avista

Deus ex machina

Apparition of a god

Il Cajetto

After having sung the duke of Burgundy's praises, Polichinelle reappears with Madame Gigogne. Both of them start to dance. Madame Gigogne gives birth to girls who give birth to other girls. Polichinelle is delighted about being the grandfather of this “nursery” and promises that it will be at the service of the duke. He asks the duke to recognise him as the only Polichinelle allowed at court.

Young audiences

Childbirth

Priviledge

Praise

Laudatory

Comical

Fantasy

suivi d'un combat naval et d'un siège de ville

Polichinelle

The Interpreter

Mother Gigogne

Multiplied characters

Childbirth on stage

Naval combat

Intermède de marionnettes

Interlude for puppets

A dove is saved from a vulture by the knight Theobald and finds shelter in the knight’s daughter’s (Agnes) lap. At this moment, their neighbour – a widow called Rosalinde – and her daughter Emma come to ask for Theobald’s protection against Ulrich von der Wart, who wants to grab her land. As a token of friendship, Agnes gives Emma her dove. Ulrich has hired a robber to break into Theobald’s castle to put it to the fire and the sword with the help of his group. The robbers dress as pilgrims and stop at Rosalinde’s place. But Casperl, Rosalinde’s servant, uncovers their plot and tells his madam. Theobald, his family and servants would have been lost had Emma not thought of sending the dove to Agnes, with a message to warn them. The robbers find themselves powerless. Theobald besieges Ulrich’s castle, and the latter is killed during the fight.

Pocci Franz von

Germany

Munich

Gangster

Middle Ages

Widow

Knighthood

Justice

Rapacity

Friendship

Pilgrimage

Morality

Castle

Drink

Crusades

Burlesque

Illustration by Franz Pocci for the first edition of the play

German

Nach einer Erzählung von Christoph Schmid in vier Aufzügen dramatisch bearbeitet

Knight

Dietrich le Noir

Kasperl

Guard

Servant

Horserider

Off-stage voice

Disguise

Letter

Story

Die Taube

The Dove

After paladins Bradamante and Ruggiero get married, Emperor Carlo Magno holds a celebration. But the treacherous paladin Gano hatches a plot to turn the feast into violence and chaos. He plays dice with Rinaldo, who has already won a lot thanks to the money he borrowed from Orlando. Rinaldo wins, but Gano accuses him of cheating. A fight between Gano’s accomplices from Mainz and the other paladins erupts. Rinaldo is about to kill Gano when Carlo Magno arrives. The latter asks Orlando to arrest Rinaldo for not complying with his sovereign’s order. However, Orlando believes that Rinaldo is innocent and lets him escape. When Carlo slaps Orlando as a punishment, Orlando leaves, swearing that he will never protect his king ever again. Husband-and-wife and paladins Carinda and Cladinoro wish to live a restful life after long years of battles and hardships. However, Cladinoro has a bad feeling. A messenger arrives and informs them that King Attamante besieged Soldanella and that he will only spare his life if he leaves the city. Cladinoro refuses to yield and his son Candellino throws the messenger out. In the meantime, Orlando makes his way to pagan lands. There, he meets Antiforo di Barosia, who commands him to give him his arms. They pick a fight, and Antiforo dies. Orlando cuts his head off and switches clothes with his dead opponent’s. He can thus pretend to be dead so he can take on Antiforo’s identity and fight Carlo. Malgigi, a paladin and a magician, helps him and makes the mark that all members of the French royal family wear appear on the dead man’s shoulder. In Soldanella, King Attamante is furious with the response given to his messenger. The two armies clash in battle, and Attamante and Cladinoro fight until nightfall. In his royal palace, Carlo Magno, full of sorrow after he offended his nephew Orlando, learns that he is dead. The king and all the paladins of France mourn the death of Orlando while Gano secretly rejoices. Aldabella recognizes Orlando thanks to the mark he wears on his right shoulder. She grieves for her late husband, and curses and condemns Carlo. Meanwhile, in Soldanella, the fight between Attamante and Cladinoro resumes. Attamante loses, and his men attack Cladinoro, as agreed before the duel. Cladinoro vanquishes them all and kills Attamante.

Armed rod marionette

Naples

Honour

Duel

Dice game

Party

Cycle of performances

Paladin

Orlando

Paladin (female)

Bradamante

Marfisia

Moorish

Saracen

Roger

Renaud de Montauban

Charlemagne (King)

Traitor

Ganelon

Oliver

Ogier the Dane

Gandellino

Warrior

Sorcerer

Wife

Aldabella

Shouts of acclamation in several voices

Aside

Crowd

Sword fight

Murder on stage

Slaps

Character thrown out of the scene

Disguised character (false identity)

Orlando e Rinaldo Parte prima Antiforo di Barosia

Orlando et Rinaldo first instalment Antiforo di Barosia

David is risking his life by spying for the Boers. When he learns that the English have gathered their forces outside Kimberley, he warns Louis Botha, the Boer General. Botha sends his infantry against the English. During the battle, David is captured, but the Boers free him. David shouts “Long live freedom!” as he retreats to Kimberley.

Roubaix

Handwritten outline

Freedom

People and history

Head of a puppet representing a Boer

Épisode de la guerre Anglo-Boers

General

Boer

Soldier

English man

Battlefield scene

Execution scene

La Bataille de Kimberley

The Siege of Kimberley

Charlemagne comes back victorious from the war against the Saracens, but he is displeased because several of his vassals, including Duke Beuves d’Aigremont, have refused to lend him a helping hand. On Naymes’ advice, Charlemagne sends his son Lohier to Beuves d’Aigremont to remind him of his duty. The duke is warned by a spy and prepares for Lohier’s visit. He understands his message (to obey Charlemagne or be executed for treason) as a declaration of war and kills him. Duke Aymon, brother to duke Beuves, offers his services to Charlemagne, as well as the services of his four sons, who are granted the title “knights” by the king. Charlemagne hears of the death of his son. The four brothers have mixed feelings about this news. They understand that war is imminent, but how can they fight against their uncle? Aymon decides to fight alongside Charlemagne but suggests that his son leave the castle, as he expects that the situation will change. Beuves asks for truce, then for Charlemagne’s forgiveness. He grants it to him. But Ganelon believes that Lohier’s death must be avenged, and he kills Duke Beuves. During a game of chess, Renaud, Aymon’s oldest son, quarrels with Barthelot, Charlemagne’s nephew, and kills him. Maugis, Duke Beuves’ son, advises him to hide with his brothers in a castle he had built magically in the Ardennes Forest. He gifts him his horse Bayard and the magical sword Flamberg.
Charlemagne discovers their hiding place and leaves with his army to besiege the magical castle. Duke Naymes advises him to send a message to Renaud, in which he would offer to lift the siege if he hands over his brother Richard – who has killed one of the emperor’s men. Renaud declines the offer. Hernier, cousin to Ganelon, poses as an enemy of Charlemagne. Renaud believes his disguise and offers him hospitality. At nightfall, Hernier lets Charlemagne’s army into the castle. The brothers have no choice but to flee. To cover their retreat, Maugis summons an army of demons. Charlemagne gives up on chasing the brothers. He has control over the castle, which leaves his enemy without shelter or means to survive.