Teodosio (Theodosius, Emperor of Constantinople) welcomes Marciano’s army. Marciano is returning victorious from the Persian Empire, and he is bringing back Ariene, the fiancée of Varane (king of Persia). Teodosio asks that Ariene be released, and he offers her peace; but the Queen is too proud. Atenaide, a young Greek woman devoted to philosophy, hesitates between coming back to Athens and staying with the Emperor: although she loves him, she fears that their respective statuses are too different. Varane arrives at court in disguise. He befriends Atenaide and expresses jealousy at Teodosio being generous with his wife. Pulcheria welcomes Marciano, whom she loves. Teodosio is jealous of Atenaide and Varane. When Teodosio accepts Ariene’s gift—she gave him fruit to thank him for his generosity—Varane, who is watching them, believes that they are having an affair. Atenaide believes so too. To reassure Atenaide, Teodosio gives her the fruit, which she gives Varane in turn, since the stranger insisted on it. Atenaide’s companion, Acrisia, reveals to Eridione, Ariene’s servant, a miraculous fountain that changes into a dragon. She gives him a dance lesson, which introduces the interlude. Marciano is watching out for Varane on the shore. He witnesses Varane and Ariene reuniting. Since Marciano wishes to catch his enemy, whom he has recognised, the Queen steps in to protect her husband. But Varane orders her to leave. After refusing Marciano’s peace proposal, Varane is defeated. Teodosio offers peace again; Varane rejects it another time. As the Emperor is reading Costantino’s story in the library, Ariene arrives. Atenaide watches them with jealousy. Ariene and Teodosio believe that their lovers have betrayed them. Finally convinced that Teodosio loves her, Atenaide is also suspected of unfaithfulness, since she cannot give back the fruit which her husband gifted her. Atenaide manages to convince Ariene of Varane’s faithfulness; and Acrisia promises to fix the situation. She makes four pages appear in the library, then she gives Eridione an astrology lesson; Eridione is taken into the air on a cloud. The tables of the library change into nymphs; they begin to dance. Pulcheria reproaches her brother for his unchristian jealousy, and commands him to stop seeing Atenaide. Ariene and Varane reconcile and knock down Teodosio’s statue. The Emperor dismisses Atenaide. He hesitates over putting his enemy to death, but eventually decides to be consistent: he spares Varane’s life and offers him a throne. Faced with such generosity, Varane is vanquished. Teodosio’ marriage is being prepared. Teodosio despairs at the thought of never seeing Atenaide again. Pulcheria summons the new bride, who turns out to be Atenaide calling herself Eudocia. The Emperor and the young Greek woman celebrate their wedding at the same time as Pulcheria and Marciano.

Marionette with counterweight

"On foot and by rod" puppet

Not specified

Italy

Rome

Printed

Constantinople

Jealousy

Captives

Constancy

Regency

Edifying

Laudatory

Religious

Pietro Ottoboni, Teodisio il Giovane, 1711 (central engraving)

Italian

Theodosius

Emperor

Pulcheria

Sister

General

Virgin

Lady-in-waiting

King

Wife

Servant

Interlude

Music

Procession

Love rivalry

Disguised character (false identity)

Magic spell

Metamorphosis

Flying character

Plot scene

Duel scene

Monologue

Change of social status

Final wedding

Teodosio il Giovane

Theodosius the Young

Thieves threaten a young man, Pine, on a beach. James Flaunty comes to his aid. Sent by Captain Gig, Lieutenant Florry proposes to Flaunty to navigate, for a hefty sum of money, their vessel towards the Spiting Devil ship since he has good knowledge of the area. Nance, the daughter of the captain, warns of the danger of this mission, but Flaunty insists that the money will allow him to marry her. A pirate from the Spitting Devil comes across Flaunty and asks him to give him Captain Gig's men in exchange for an even greater sum of money. After a moment of hesitation, Flaunty accepts. Pine, who overheard the conversation, pleads with Flaunty to bring him back after the battle since he has been trying to return to Ireland for several years. The standoff doesn't go as expected, and Flaunty is accused of plotting against Captain Gig. He is sentenced to death and asks to be executed on the banks of a creek at sunset. Pine pretends to be responsible for the alliance with the pirates and sacrifices his life for Flaunty, who is liberated.

Toy theatre

Young audiences

Ireland

Strete

Piracy

Conspiracy

Capital executions and executors

Sacrifice

Humorous

Dramatic

Jack B. Yeats, James Flaunty or the Terror of the Western Seas, 1901

English

Pirate

Daughter

Execution scene

Release of a prisoner

James Flaunty, or the Terror of the Western Seas

James Flaunty, ou la Terreur des mers de l'ouest

Guignol tells the Directeur (Director) that he thinks highly of theatre. He asks to be introduced to the audience, and jokes with him about being made of wood. Ubu kills the king Venceslas. The Queen dies, and the Ombre (Shadow) of one of her ancestors gives the young prince Bougrelas a sword, so that he can avenge his father. Ubu robs and slaughters Nobles, dismisses the judges and makes them all fall through the trapdoor. Ubu goes fight the Russian army, and Mère Ubu (Mother Ubu) and her accomplice Giron try to steal his treasures while he is away. On the battlefield, Ubu is chased out by the Russian army led by the Tzar. An Ours (bear) attacks general Lascy and prevails. In the meantime, Ubu has taken shelter in a tree. Mère Ubu meets her husband and they both prepare to leave for France. But Bougrelas appears and has them arrested by the Gendarmes (Police), and asks for them to locked up in France and for Père Ubu (Father Ubu)’s brain to be removed.

Glove-puppet

Jarry Alfred

France

Paris

Regicide

Tyranny

Theft

Voracity

Treasure

Slaughter

Army

Revenge

Police (French gendarmerie)

Comical

Grotesque

Farcical

Ubu's puppet in Ubu sur la butte, 1901.

French

Father Ubu

Mother Ubu

Captain

Queen

Ghost

Noble

Clerk

Magistrato

Counselor

Financiers

Soldier

Russian

Pole

Ours

Horse

Constable

Prologue

Blow-with-a-stick

Song

Dance

Murder on stage

Apparition of a ghost

Parade

Battlefield scene

Chase

Fight with an animal

Final song

Ubu sur la butte

Ubu on the hilllock

Caliban, the slave of Prospero the magician, expresses his loneliness and the difficulty he has interacting with others. He retells his personal story, characterized by his submission to the magician since he arrived on Caliban's island, and by his desire for Prospero's daughter Miranda. Antonio, Prospero's brother and the one responsible for his deposition, is washed up on the shores with the King of Naples and his crew. Caliban meets Trinculo and Stephano, two drunkards who come up with a plan to kill Prospero and steal his books. However, when it is time to take action, Caliban thinks of his mother, and supernatural spirits take possession of him. He then goes back on his decision. Meanwhile, Prospero uses a ploy to get back his title as Duke of Milan. He suggests to the King of Naples that their two children, Miranda and Ferdinand, marry. The King accepts, and they decide to go back to Italy. They make fun of Caliban and insult him before abandoning him on his island.

Object theatre

Great Britain

Brighton

Loneliness

Savoir

Shipwreck

Magic

Slavery

Shakespeare

Tim Couch, La Tempête de Caliban, directed by the Compagnie Pupella-Noguès, 2023.