The play dealt with current events – the French conquest in Madagascar at the end of the 19th century. On September 30, 1895, Tananarive – the capital – was taken in an expedition ordered by General Duchesne, and Queen Ranavalo III was forced to surrender and to accept the French protectorate.

The manuscript of the play is kept in the Léopold Dor collection in the Musée des Arts de la Marionnette (Musées Gadagne) in Lyon. It is dated from October 29, 1895, and bears the stamp of the Rhone Prefecture, which authorized performances. The shows were most likely suspended because of the way the political situation evolved: although the queen surrendered, resistance persisted on the island, and the people rebelled against French occupation in September 1896.

Clotilde wants to follow her husband everywhere he goes. When he sets off for Madagascar with his battalion, she embarks on the ship on a bicycle. Her parents send Guignol – their servant – after her. To arrive in Madagascar before Clotilde does, Guignol invents a flying machine, which combines a hot-air ballon and a bicycle, led by a pigeon.

In Madagascar, Maxime fails to convince his wife to return to France. Guignol, who has been brought inside the camp, relates that his machine has frightened the Hovas, allowing him to make it safely to the camp. He leaves in search of two missing sentries. Clotilde decides to go with him, and they are both captured by the Hovas.

In Tananarive, the queen of Madagascar stands firm against the French, but she fears that they will bomb the city. Maxime has come to negotiate the surrender of Tananarive. When he hears that Clotilde and Guignol have been captured, the queen presents him with two options: either he modifies the terms of the peace agreement or Clotilde and Guignol are sentenced to death. Clotilde asks Maxime to prioritise the conquest of Tananarive over her life.

Guignol convinces the queen to release him and Clotilde. Then the bombing of Tananarive forces the queen to surrender. Maxime reunites with his wife, who is safe and sound.