During a May Day, as peasants are dancing and singing, Polichinelle chases them with blows of his stick. In the meantime, it is discovered that it is his twentieth birthday. Happy to be finally of age, he orders his servant to organise a feast. Shortly after, he encounters Crocofante, a sword fighter who suggests that he enlists to serve the State. However, Polichinelle prefers his stick and immoral pleasures to a sword and honour. Crocofante is offended and challenges him to a duel. Polichinelle agrees, but only after the feast, which turns into a real “bastonnade” (stick beating) where he insults his father and other guests. Soon after, Polichinelle kills the servants Alain and Nerina, accuses Crocofante, and has him arrested in his stead.

Young audiences

des Essarts Emmanuel

France

Paris

Printed

Party

Peasant

Birthday

Contempt

Cheekiness

Death

Prosecution

Devil

Comical

Alfred des Essarts, illustration for La Jeunesse de Polichinelle, 1863.

French

Father

Polichinelle

Soldier

Butler

Nurse

Young woman

Magistrato

Peasant (female)

Chorus

Blow-with-a-stick

Aside

Song

Death on stage

Character invisible to some of the other characters

Apparition of the Devil

Final intervention of the devil

Epilogue

La Jeunesse de Polichinelle

Polichinelle's Youth

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

Germany

Sonneberg

Justice

Theft

Retribution

Punishment

Gallows

Torture

Police

Jail

Judgment

Violence

Assassination

Embezzlement

Silliness

Wickedness

Insubordination

Farcical

Ironic

German

Kasperl

Judge

Policeman

Address to the public

Versified passages

Flying machine

Parodic trial

Stichomythia

Foul language register

Comic equivocation

Hanging scene

Murder on stage

Casper soll ins Gefängnis kommen

Casper must go to jail