Kasperl is arrested after breaking into the gardens of the cruel Sultan Schurimuri. Schurimuri wants to have him executed for spying, but Kasperl poses as an important guest and ends up being royally received in the sultan's kitchen. Drunk, he admits that he is not a scholar or a traveller, but simply Kasperl. Schurimuri wants to have him executed again, but Kasperl beats and kills him. He then takes his place and especially the turban of the Sultan, which he promises will be of great use for him when he returns to Germany.

Not specified

Pocci Franz von

Germany

Munich

Printed

Turkey

Despotism

Cruelty

Pipe

Black

Orientalism

Hunger

Wine

Muslim

Turban

Beer

Botany

Seraglio

Music

Comical

Farcical

Burlesque

German

Ein grausames Lustspiel

Sultan

Slave

Jailer

Kasperl

Lazzi

Word for another

Song

Chorus

Blow-with-a-stick

Casperl in der Türkei

Kasperl in Turkey

In this expanded version of the play, Kasperl introduces himself to the Sultan as a botanist and impresses him with his knowledge of radishes (which go well with beer), so much so that he is hired into his service. But he is unhappy with his situation in a Muslim country where the consumption of alcohol is forbidden (except for the Sultan, in secret). He decides to flee with the slave Mimikatzi, who is being held in Schuriburi's seraglio. Kasperl offers to rid the Sultan of the mosquitoes he has to complain about and beats him to death with his stick. Night falls: Kasperl and Mimikatzi flee.

String marionette

Young audiences

Woman

Radish

Mosquitoes

Harem

Parodistic

Konstantinopolitanisches Lustspiel

Drum

Turk

Disguise

Monologue

Murder on stage

Allusion to current literary events

Running away

Criticism of actors' theatre

Address to the public

Epilogue

Versified passages

Confinement

Kasperl in der Türkei

The story takes place in Grenada at the beginning of the 16th century. Juan Ramero, a former soldier in the army of Isabella the Catholic, is now a bellringer in a church in town. On the twentieth anniversary of the Reconquista, the inhabitants of Grenada gift a bell made with gold and silver to the old mosque, which was turned into a Catholic church, so that Juan Ramero can ring it to celebrate this anniversary. But Saïd le Maure (the Moor Saïd), who fought Juan Ramero, comes back to avenge himself. He accuses him of having stripped him of his house and of having killed his son. Since then, he became a magician by making a deal with the devil Satanas, and he took advantage of the gullibility of Lola, the servant, to get into the house. In fact, Saïd’s son is not dead – on the day of the last battle between Christians and Muslims, Juan Ramero came across three men fighting over the baby’s crib. Juan Ramero saved him, baptised him under the name Andrès and raised him as his son. However, Saïd knows nothing about this and wants to kill Juan Ramero, his daughter Carmen and Andrès, whom he believes to be Ramero’s son. He makes a deal with Satanas, who grants him the power to transform humans. Saïd chases Juan Ramero and his children in the desert, where he turns Carmen into a myrtle and Andrès into a roebuck. Juan Ramero reveals the whole truth to Saïd. To redeem himself, the latter calls upon Azaël -Satanas’ enemy – who gives the children their original form back. They all make peace and go back to Grenada to start a new life.

France

Paris

Manuscript

Bell

Love

Religion

Revenge

Friendship

Foundling

Exile

Fantastic

Fantasy

Dramatic

Adolphe Joly, La Cloche du diable (title page)

French

Devil

Magic spell

Incantation

Comic distortion of language

Aside

Apparition of the Devil

Metamorphosis

Aria

La Cloche du diable

The devil's Bell

Following a brawl in the tavern, Kasperl tells his wife that he is becoming a misanthrope and is withdrawing from the world. He also leaves the role of the police commissioner. His misfortunes lead him to the European residence of the Egyptian prince Tamino and his wife Pamina, which is also the retreat of the aging magician Sarastro. The Moor in the service of the Queen of the Night, Monostatist (the Monostatos of The Magic Flute), helps Kasperl, who presents himself as a learned traveller, to break into the palace: he hopes that he will stir up trouble. The hungry Kasperl proves to be an extremely rude host, and the frequent visits of the Queen of the Night, which plunge the scene into darkness each time, add to the confusion. Sarastro is nevertheless prepared to initiate the so-called scholar into the mysteries of Freemasonry, but Kasperl mainly amuses himself by banging the gong and then stamping his foot on the lodge master's table: Sarastro forbids him to do so, they quarrel and Kasperl knocks him out, then runs away with the protection of the Queen of the Night. Pursued by Tamino's lion, he is narrowly saved by the hunter Thomerl, who shoots the lion. They then return home with their trophy, much to the amazement of the police. The Queen of the Night appears to wish the audience good night.

Opera

Freemasonry

Magic

Mother-in-law

Egypt

Tavern

Breakfast

Lion

Bureaucracy

Misanthropy

Classical music

Hermeticism

Esotericism

Queen of the Night

Lady-in-waiting

Monostatos

Police Superintendant

Thomerl

Police officer

Allegory

Talking animal

Instrumental tune

Metatheatre

Light effects

Transforming scenery

Casperl in der Zauberflöte

Kasperl in the Magic Flute

The play begins with an old shepherd looking after his flocks and talking briefly with his two sons. While the eldest borrows money that his family has accumulated by working, the youngest announces that he is going to leave, because he longs to live another kind of life. The father replies in the way of a humble man entrusting God with the future of both his wealth and of his youngest son. The next three tableaux show the sinful life of pleasures which the youngest brother enjoys in Thebes before famine and regrets convince him to come back home. The oldest son’s resentment, which the Gospel mentions, is left out of the play. The last tableau does not mention the tensions between the two brothers (which were only suggested at the beginning of the play), and only the father’s joy at being reunited with his son is shown.

Shadow theatre

Wealth

Debauchery

Mercy

Repentance

Splendor

Lyrical

L'Enfant prodigue : flat articulated figure of the father (first tableau).

Scènes bibliques en 7 tableaux

Father

Board

Alternating narrative / dialogue

Dance

Pantomime

L'Enfant prodigue

The Prodigal Son

The Plumcake family arrives in Biskra. The wedding of their daughter, Miss Maud, will happen in the Sahara; however, their arrival in the oasis of merrymaking is delayed: they cross paths with a lion and get lost; a caravan comes by and saves the lost family. The spectacular ceremony can finally take place: the procession and dances begin.

Switzerland

Geneva

Printed summary

Sahara

Caravan (travellers)

Algerian infantry

Algeria

Party

Ouled Naïl (Algerian nomadic tribe)

Desert

Wedding

Maurice Potter, engraving advertising the Théâtre du Sapajou, 1896.

English man

Wife

Goat

Arab

Berber

Husband

Algerian

Soldier

Colonial troop

Horserider

Dancer

Parade

Barker

Le Mariage au désert

The Wedding in the desert

Canezou – a rich Parisian merchant – suggests that her daughter marry the son of his friend Fromaget – a young, rich, handsome and intelligent man. But the fickle girl turns down all commoner suitors. Arthur Galuchait – the son of one of Canezou’s old friends – returns to Paris after having become rich in the Indies, and he proposes to Caroline. Her father warns Arthur about his daughter’s state of mind. The young man leaves an excellent first impression on Caroline but is then thrown out on the street when she discovers that he does not have noble blood. Arthur stumbles on Oscar, another suitor rejected on the same grounds by the fair girl. They both want to teach Caroline a lesson and join up with the carpenter Billembois. Then Arthur goes to Canezou’s house dressed Indian-style to deliver a message from the king Menemetapa – the King wants his son to marry the fair Caroline, his son having fallen in love after seeing her at the Théâtre des Italiens. For this reason, the young Prince is going to grant Canezou the rank of “Grand Crustacé du royaume” (Great Crustacean of the kingdom). Canezou summons his daughter, who trembles with emotion. Oscar is disguised in the middle of a parade of servants and escorts Billembois, who is wearing a fake moustache and the costume of an oriental prince. Billembois proposes to Caroline in a speech of exotic gibberish, and she is enthralled and agrees to marry him. Billembois kisses Caroline. When Canezou and Caroline are about to sign the prenuptial agreement written by Oscar, Billembois has qualms about hurting Caroline. He reveals the fraud and removes his mask. Arthur gets angry at Billembois, who was supposed to disclose his true identity only after signing the agreement. Oscar removes his disguise too. Oscar, Arthur, Billembois and the rest of the procession leave. Cured of her dreams of greatness, Caroline admits that she is still under Billembois’s spell. Canezou is flabbergasted and keeps talking about Fromaget’s son.