The Nain jaune (yellow dwarf) wants to marry Fleur de Bois, a princess, but she turns him down. To avenge himself, the Nain, with the help of Satan, puts the king, the princess and everyone in the palace to sleep, and he promises to come back in a year. Yvon, a young man described as “not very rich but lazy”, begs a Prêtre (Priest) for money. The Prêtre turns into a genie and gives him an enchanted sword so he can save the princess. He and his servant fight the Nain, the Géant Romular (Giant Romular) and Satan, and enter the castle. Once inside the castle, Yvon cuts the king’s beard with the sword to deliver him from the sleeping spell. When the king wakes up, he gives Yvon his daughter Fleur de Bois as a wife.

String marionette

Not specified

France

Lille

Handwritten outline

Devil

Sleep

Wedding

Genie

Magic object

Sword

Beard

Unrequited love

Enchantment

Fantasy

French

Domestic servant

Satan

Dwarf

Priest

Knight

Black Man

Snake

Giant

Improvised dialogue

Avista

Apparition of a genie

Apparition of the Devil

Fight

Yvon, ou la Barbe d'Acier

Yvon, or the Iron Beard

The English Marquis leaves the strongbox in which he keeps his wife’s jewellery with the Innkeeper. The brigand Fradiavolo witnesses this and tells his men. At nightfall, the robbers break into the inn to steal the strongbox. But as they hear Cerline’s (the innkeeper’s daughter) prayer, they hesitate. At that moment, Robert – Cerline’s fiancé – arrives at the inn with his own men. The robbers decide to postpone the theft. The following night, the drunken robbers sing Cerline’s prayer. Their plan is thus exposed. Robert is warned by Cerline and manages to arrest the robbers, among which was Fradiavolo.

Casette

Robber

Tourism

Theft

Arrest

Jewel

Prayer

Dramatic

Sergeant

Marquis

English man

Frà Diavolo

Innkeeper

Inn scene

Night scene

La Capture du fameux Fradiavolo

The Capture of the famous Fradiavolo

Don Johnny Bernard Bull (alias Sly-Boots) and Don Taffy Muggins (alias Swagsman) are observing the inside of a house, each from a window. It is the house of Looney, “the Magic Idiot”, and it is full of magical objects. Sly-Boots enters to ask for a remedy, and Looney, who is a wizard, shows him how to create blue sky by mixing two different powders of his own invention. The process is too complicated for Sly-Boots, who refuses to buy it and blames him for trying to sell it at a ridiculous price. Taking advantage of Looney’s distraction, Sly-Boots steals his powders. Blind Boy arrives and shows Sly-Boots how he can see the future in a page of The English Review. He then creates blue sky with Looney; meanwhile, Cockatrice arrives in her turn. In the village square, Sly-Boots meets up with Muggins. He wants them to try out the powder he has stolen, but it is not working: Sly-Boots falls asleep and dreams. Muggins goes to Looney and asks him to buy some powder; he learns that Sly-Boots has stolen another powder and can die from it. Because Muggins threatens him, Looney offers him a magic mirror to coax him. Looney shows Muggins how to make it with two pouches of powder and convinces him to leave his home without him noticing. Realizing that Looney tricked him, Muggins threatens him again, but Blind Boy and Looney begin to play the opening act of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The song summons a king and a queen riding near a stream, and a blue moon rising in the sky. A silvery morning and gilded evening follow, then a Puppet turns to the audience to advise them to mindfully experience the music, and forget the thieves and the insane.

Craig Edward Gordon

Italy

Rapallo

Rome

Printed

Magic

Punishment

Azure

Comical

Satirical

Edward Gordon Craig, Looney or the Magic Idiot

English

A Sketch for a Little Farce for Marionettes

Magician

Thief

Cockatrice

Basilic

Blind Boy

Blind

Compartmented stage

Magic act

Instrumental tune

Apparition

Address to the public

Blue Sky

Florindo confesses his love for Rosaura to Fasolino, and he declares that this love is so strong that he will kill himself if he cannot marry her. But Fasolino explains that the marriage is virtually impossible, as Rosaura’s father – Pantalone – wants her to marry Gervasio, a wealthy retired colonel. Florindo sings a serenade for Rosaura, with a group of singers. Pantalone and Brighella hear the music and come out of the house to see what it is happening. Brighella tells Pantalone that this is Florindo’s plan to persuade Rosaura not to marry Gervasio. Pantalone asks his daughter to explain herself, and she confesses that she loves Florindo. Right away, Pantalone decides to leave for Paris with Brighella and Rosaura, so that the latter forgets about Florindo. Pantalone suggests that they invite Gervasio to Paris in the meantime. Florindo and Fasolino overhear him and decide to go to Paris too. Florindo promises Rosaura that he will meet her in Paris. Brighella tells Sandrone and Gervasio that they are leaving for Paris. Gervasio swears that he will get his revenge on Florindo, and he sends Sandrone to the port and asks him to save them cabins on the next boat.

Glove-puppet

Nino Pozzo (Matteo Pozzo)

Verona

Impossible love

Boat trip

Social classes

Soldier

Nino Pozzo, Fasolino soldato in Francia

Italian

Pantaloon

Brighella

Servant

Fagiolino

Colonel

Sandrone

Polonia

Song

Fasolino soldato in Francia

Fasolino soldier in France

An elderly woman lives in a cabin near a wood, with a teenager who believes himself to be her grandson. Some bandits steal a case holding documents on the young man’s life. The elderly woman explains to him that he is of royal blood; he decides to go avenge his parents. With the help of a powerful wizard and of other characters he met on his way, the Prince overcomes the tyrant who had taken over the kingdom, and is acknowledged by his mother. The performance ends with a big celebration.

Typewriting

Revenge

Encounter

Usurpation

Royals

Heroic

Old woman

Prince

Queen

Governess

Guard

Tyran

Rebel

Citizen

Cook

Prison guard

Facanapa

Scene of recognition

Blow-with-a-stick

Disappearance

Smoke

La riconquista del regno

The reconquest of the kingdom

Asdrubale comes back from the market with the piglets and leaves them in his pigsty. He asks Canzio to cook a pigswill to feed them. The pigs are starving and eager to eat and they knock against the door with their small hooves to ask for food. Asdrubale worries and raises his stick to them, but this does not pacify them. Canzio exits the kitchen with the pot to feed them. Two farmers are walking towards the pigsty with the food, but a loud noise is heard – the three piglets have opened the door and run away.