The Earth being in a near-apocalyptic state after several wars, the survivors seek universal reconciliation and want to create a world in which everyone will be happy, albeit identical and average. Pierrot arrives; the song he is singing about the Moon stirs up a desire for military conquest. When they land on the Moon, the Terriens (Earthlings) are so well received that they do not dare speak of their plan of conquering the Moon; instead, they forsake war once and for all. Mutual visits are planned: the Lunariens (a made-up word for “residents of the Moon”) will come to the next Chicago Fair.

Shadow theatre

Not specified

Utrillo Miquel

France

Paris

États-Unis

Chicago

Printed summary

Science fiction

Peace

Happiness

Monotony

Uniformity

Boredom

Journey

Poetry

Party

Procession

Visit

Universal Exposition

Social harmony

Moon

Conquest of space

Invention

Satirical

Programme of the Théâtre des ombres parisiennes, Columbian World's Fair, Chicago, 1893.

French

Pierrot

Inhabitants on the moon

Opposite worlds

Plot twist

Song

La Conquête de la lune

The Conquest of the Moon

A TV presenter invites the audience to time travel to the year 2084; he ages rapidly and dies. A foetus floats in space and hums the music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Numbers 3 and 5 harass number 11 who wants to be left alone, driving him to suicide several times. The voice from the speaker congratulates 3 and 5. Two robots talk using only letters and acronyms. Mozart, afraid of being forgotten, doubts his own identity. The creatures Têtedelard and Boutdechou reflect on their potential, and then the former dismembers the latter while Lumgo, a deceitful creature with disorganised syntax, tries to convince Boutdechou to become the king of humanity. Clones have to play family but no longer understand the concepts of man, woman or love. An alien mother listens absent-mindedly to her son tell stories of life on Earth in the past. Behind them, the planet Earth rises.

Tabletop Puppetry

Young audiences

Dorin Philippe

Strasbourg

Printed

Dystopia

Future

Violence

Despair

Love

Family

Surveillance

Clone

Alien

Absurd

Dramatic

Tragic

Parodistic

Un futur plein d'avenir

Announcer

Foetus

Haut-Parleur

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Robot

Extraterrestrial

Saynète

Address to the public

Revelation

Spying scene

Comedy of language

Tragic conflict

Failed suicide

Metadiscourse on puppet theatre

Dance

Theatre within the theatre

Running gag

Argument

2084