Polichinelle no longer wants to play traditional puppet shows. He aspires to be modern and leaves his puppeteer to become a television star. The puppeteer, who is committed to tradition, grieves for Polichinelle and continues his shows with other puppets. Polichinelle is criticized by the viewers and causes trouble for the television program. He asks for the puppeteer’s help. Eventually, he comes back to him.

Glove-puppet

Video footage

Adults

France

Montpellier

Printed

Modernity

Tradition

Rupture

Television

Whim

Stardom

Comical

Humorous

Satirical

Black comedy

Robert Destanque, Le Caprice de Polichinelle, 2003.

French

Polichinelle

Puppeteer

Landlord

Constable

Colombine

Arlecchino

Pierrot

Announcer

Television presenter (woman)

Speakerine

Voice

Address to the public

Dialogue between actor and puppet

Talking on the phone

Monologue

Screen on stage

Throws

Song

Word warping

Le Caprice de Polichinelle

Polichinelle's Whim

A theoretician is giving a lecture on philosophical and artistic concepts inherent to objects and mentioning ancient philosophers and Bauhaus artists, among other people. However, he is constantly interrupted by his assistant sharing information with him, by technical problems or elements that seem out of control: microphones moving in all directions, the light being turned off, objects falling, … In a second part, the conference goes over different works of the company and reveals the creative processes behind the shows and the common thread bringing them together. At the end, the theoretician tries to resume his lecture without success; the technician’s body mysteriously appears on the floor and a phantasmagorical atmosphere spreads. Curtains are brought down several times while the action of the play continues.

Object theatre

All audiences

Portugal

Porto

Storyboard

Language comedy

Failure

Impossibility to communicate

Animated object

Memory

Phantom

Philosophical tale

Fantastic

Igor Gandra, A revolta dos objetos. Uma conferência animada (Teatro de Ferro, 2021)