Arriving in China after a failed emigration to America, Kasperl finds himself in the service of the Mandarin Quingquing, Emperor Schunschi's "Minister of Confused Affairs". While styling his master's pigtail for the audience, Kasperl gets annoyed at not understanding what Quingquing is saying in Chinese and slaps him to death. Kasperl disguises himself as a Mandarin and goes to the hearing in his place, where he argues with Schunschi. When Schunschi retires, he asks for a drink. A barrel is brought to him, but opening it is an actual Chinese puzzle. The ghost of Quingquing finally emerges. Kasperl knocks him out and then resolves to drink tea, promising himself to return to Germany without delay.

String marionette

Not specified

Pocci Franz von

Germany

Munich

Printed

Far East

Middle Empire

Pigtail

Chinese

Phantom

Despotism

Triviality

Minister

Slap

Barrel

Emigration

Journey

Farce

German

Kasperl

Emperor

Valet de chambre

Slave

Appearance

Disguise

Monologue

Murder on stage

Macaronism

Hyperbolic action

Ridiculous fight

Dialogue of the deaf

Parody of formal language

Kasperl in China

In Bavaria, Kaspar learns that Professor Johann Christoph Gottsched is conspiring against him. He goes to Leipzig to work as a servant, under a false name, in the house of Gottsched and his friend, the actress and theatre director Caroline Neuber. During a performance, Caroline Neuber symbolically banishes Kaspar’s character from the stage and dismisses the actor who successfully played him, Silvio. But Gottsched's ward, Lucinde, is in love with the actor: the two young people defy Gottsched's dismissal and marry in secret. In search of a new actor to play the comic role in a play by the student Gotthold Ephraim, Caroline Neuber offers the position to Kaspar, who declines and then reveals his true identity. The actress breaks up with Gottsched and hires Silvio again, as well as Lucinde. Kaspar is arrested by the Bavarian policeman Stadelmann, who has set out after him, but is finally released by Gotthold Ephraim and is praised by the entire audience.

Glove-puppet

Schmidt-Ziegler Tilla

Leipzig

Conspiring

Bavaria

Professor

Hanswurst

Dialect

Literature

Literary criticism

Theatre

Reformation

Forbidden love

Humour

Rationality

Women's condition

Marriage

Comical

Puppenkomödie aus dem alten Leipzig

Madame Kasperl

Policeman

Johann Christoph Gottsched

Neuberin

Cook

Pasteur

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Off-stage voices

Metatheatre

Love story

Versified passages

Philosophical dialogue

Word for another

Dance

Kaspar stirbt nicht!

Kaspar does not die!