Kaspar introduces himself and speaks to the children. The Star Princess (Sternenprinzessin) reproaches him for having made her wait. She wants to go back to the King, her father, and Kaspar has to follow her to their castle in the sky. A Policeman and a Peasant complain about the disorder and the noise caused by Kaspar. The Princess defends Kaspar, rejects the Chinese suitor that her father had offered her and asks to marry Kaspar instead. At the castle, where he now lives with his wife and their baby, Kaspar is unhappy because his favourite meals are not served there. When the grandmother arrives, everyone rejoices, as all the problems will be solved thanks to her.

Glove-puppet

Young audiences

Thelemann Dora

Germany

Printed

Cosmic journey

Crown

Wedding

Love

Star

Future

Utopia

Homesickness

Milky Way

Plane

Noise

Fantasy

Comical

Grethe Jürgens, illustration for La Princesse des Étoiles et la grand-mère de Kaspar

German

Kasperl

Peasant (man)

Chinese

Grandmother

Baby

Play in verse

Domestic scene

Der Kaspar und die Sternenprinzessin

Kaspar and the Star Princess

A child escapes the war in Spain on a globe. He reaches the clouds and, soon enough, the sky. He means to relate outside Earth what is happening in his country, and to ask for help so that democracy and freedom, which are being threatened, prevail in Europe. He starts a conversation with the stars, which are aware of the state of things, then with an angel, a small planet and a joyful and friendly demon. Together, they summon the stars, armies of angel warriors and legions of demons to protect the world against the evil which is tearing Spain and Europe apart.

Not specified

Child

Angel

Devil

Activist theatre

Agit-prop

Spain

Teatro de Urgencia

Spanish

Flying machine

Las Barandillas del cielo

The Balustrade in the sky

Saint Pierre (Saint Peter), helped by four cherubs, prepares the scene of the Nativity. He rehearses the hymns, and sends the star to the Rois Mages (Biblical Magi) who are gathering at Melchior’s house, from where they will start the journey. In the stable of Matthieu (Matthew), mayor of Bethlehem, Chérubin (Cherub) gives the animals the ability to speak for one evening; they make fun of humans. Meanwhile, Pascal, the mayor’s blind son, urges his parents to search the stable without explaining what he is looking for. Two shepherds argue before being lectured by a third one who urges them to get going. The Rois Mages stop at Hérode’s (Herod) house, who wants to know where they are going. Matthieu visits the scribe Estève, in charge of the census, and the hoteliers Barabbas and Iscariote (Iscariot): the latter complains about the bad behaviour of his son Judas. Saint Joseph and the Vierge Marie (Virgin Mary) turn up for the census and ask the hoteliers for a room, but they refuse. Saint Pierre takes them to his stable that he sets up for the birth of Jésus and the arrival of the popular characters. Pascal miraculously gets his sight back, and the Rois Mages arrive.

All audiences

Gignoux Hubert

Czechia

Moravská Třebová

Crib

Biblical Magi

Nativity

Christmas preparations

Prison camp

Miracle

Disobedient child

Christmas

Religious

Hubert Gignoux, Noël des anges, 1945. Marcelle Moynier’s copy (Puppet Theatre of Geneva)

French

Saint Peter

Caspar

Wise Men (Biblical Magi)

Horse

Goat

Sheep

Mayor

Shepherd

Herod

Barabbas

Countryside ranger

Donkey

Joseph

Virgin Mary

Judas

Melchior

Balthazar

Address to the public

Object coming to life

Talking animal

Canticle

Noël des anges

The Angels' Christmas

Anatole wants to save Fric, who was mistakenly sent into space. They visit the Moon, Venus, the planet of Dame Tartine (Lady Toast), and that of the Père Noël (Father Christmas). Their trip ends in the pot of the Peaux-Rouges (Redskins), but a clever idea from the Chat Tempête (Storm Cat) saves them.

String marionette

Blin André

France

Montrouge

Typed or electronic text with handwritten annotations

Astronaut

Telescope

Comet

Rescue

Cannibalism

Helicopter

Red Indian

Company Les P'tits Bonshommes d'André Blin (André Blin’s Little Men), Les Aventuriers du ciel, 1955.