After trying to rape Cécile (Cecilia), the Roi (King) wants to force Cécile to marry him. Gaymas, the Roi’s partner in depravity, is tasked with telling Cécile about the marriage, and letting her know that the man she loves, Valérien (Valerian), has been banished from the kingdom. The Anges (Angels) comfort Cécile and say that they will protect her. Cécile tells Valérien that she is a Christian and has taken an oath to remain a virgin. She makes Saint Michel (Saint Michael) appear, but Valérien cannot see him because he is a pagan. She sends him to wash the body of a leper; in the name of the Christian God, she gives him a “holy kiss”, after which he will be able to see angels. When he is back from his mission, Valérien can see Saint Michel. Like Cécile, he agrees to forsake the pleasures of the flesh; the two of them are preparing to become martyrs. When the Roi learns that they are Christians, they sentence them to death; however, he refuses to rape Cécile before – which Gaymas advised him to do. The Roi and Gaymas try to come up with torture methods for them, but Gaymas accidentally dies, and only Valérien is tortured. The Roi confesses his love to Cécile and promises that he will let her remain a Christian, even though it is against Roman law. But she demands to be sentenced like Valérien. As the Roi, furious, is about to rape her, Valérien appears, covered in blood; the ground opens and swallows the Roi up. The Geôlier (Gaoler) takes Cécile, to send her to the big cats of the circus. She reappears with Valérien; she is transfigured and surrounded by two angels.

Not specified

France

Paris

Printed

Martyrdom

Eternal punishment

Virginity

Promise

Rape

Carnal love

Renunciation

Torture

Torment

Religious

Tragic

Fantasy

French

Saint Michael

Angel

Saint Cecilia

Proconsul

Jailer

Address to the public

Apparition

Engulfment

Spectacular turn of events

Play in verse

Ascent to heaven

La Légende de sainte Cécile

The Legend of Saint Cecilia

Casper is accused by a farmer of stealing his hay and the cart and cow that went with it. He tries to bargain over the compensation and settles the matter with a stick. In court, he insults the judge and beats the policeman. The peasant asks for him to be hanged, but Casper finds out and hangs him instead. Then he beats the policeman again. The judge wants him tortured and executed, but Casper beats him to death.

Glove-puppet

Young audiences

Germany

Sonneberg

Justice

Theft

Retribution

Punishment

Gallows

Police

Jail

Judgment

Prosecution

Violence

Assassination

Embezzlement

Silliness

Wickedness

Insubordination

Farcical

Ironic

German

Kasperl

Judge

Policeman

Peasant (man)

Versified passages

Flying machine

Blow-with-a-stick

Parodic trial

Stichomythia

Foul language register

Comic equivocation

Hanging scene

Murder on stage

Epilogue

Casper soll ins Gefängnis kommen

Casper must go to jail

Cockatrice arrives at the Royal George Inn and impersonates Charlie Chaplin. The Landlord discovers that Cockatrice’s Magic Donkey creates gold coins, and he swaps it with his own donkey while Cockatrice is asleep. During an interlude, a Marionette informs the audience that a scene will not be acted. The scene was supposed to show the meeting between Cockatrice and the King to show his Magic Donkey create coins; the latter, having been switched, cannot do so, and Cockatrice is sent to jail. The curtain opens up to Blind Boy’s arrival at the inn. The Landlord tries to steal Blind Boy’s bag while he is asleep; Blind Boy wakes up and orders the Magic Stick to beat him. The Landlord confesses that he also stole the Magic Table and the Magic Donkey, but he explains that he was once a prince who became enamoured with Princess Razzlemond and that an evil fairy changed him into a Landlord and cursed him to steal all of his clients until one defeated him - just as Blind Boy did. In order to make amends, he gifts Blind Boy a Magic Fiddle that forces everyone to dance. Cockatrice and Columbus sing in their cell to kill time. They are brought to the public place to be tortured, judged, and executed before the King and Princess Razzlemond. Blind Boy interrupts the scene and, thanks to his Magic Fiddle, forces everyone to dance until the King pardons Cockatrice and Columbus. Princess Razzlemond asks Blind Boy to marry her, but he tells her to go to the inn, where her Prince, the former Landlord, awaits her.

String marionette

Craig Edward Gordon

Italy

Marina di Pisa

Magic

Capital executions and executors

Comical

Satirical

English

The Magic Ass and The Magic Stick

Queen

Cockatrice

Basilic

Parrot

Blind

Blind Boy

Violin

Donkey

Innkeeper

Courtier

Guard

Guardian

Clerk

Executioner

Captain

Spectator

Puppet

Disguised character (false identity)

Story

Instrumental tune

Aria

Monologue

Compartmented stage

Song

Avista

Object coming to life

Crowd

Dance

The Roman Adventure - Parts Two & Three

The puppeteer is an inmate. He plays his puppet show for an audience of psychology students who have come to hear him relate his autobiographical story. He introduces the characters: Dean’s puppet, Wayne’s puppet, and the puppets of several dead boys. He also plays his own role, that of David. David and Wayne are a teenage couple. Dean is older than them. In their house, they talk of multiple murders they committed together: in the cave, the victims were killed by Dean, with the help of Wayne, after having been sexually assaulted, tortured and mutilated. The crimes were recorded on camera by David. The series of murders goes on until the murder of Jamie – a boy Wayne was in love with. Wayne is blinded by rage and kills Dean. David suggests that they put an end to the killing spree. Wayne agrees in a first time. But when he meets Brad, another boy, and engages in an erotic game at the end of which he takes Dean’s place: he tortures Brad until he kills him. After the murder, David kills Wayne during a panic attack. Then he calls the police and confesses to his crimes.