Matoum en Matoumoisie - Pierre Albert-Birot

Printed

67 pages

Author(s)

Matoum en Matoumoisie

Pierre Albert-Birot
| 1919 | Paris, France
Genre (as defined by the author)
Drame en trois actes pour marionnettes
Characters
Matoum, Tévibar, Un Grand Sage Matoumoisien, Le Jeune Homme qui va se marier, La Jeune Fille qui va se marier, L'Epoux, L'Epouse, La Jeune Vierge, Le Rouge, Le Noir, Le Blanc, L'Esprit de la Terre, Le Rieur, Celui qui voulait s'enrichir, Le Chanteur Populaire, Le Cuisinier, Le Sommelier, Le Tailleur, L'Homme de Chambre, Le Bottier, L'Architecte, L'Eunuque, L'Homme Laid, Quelqu'un, Les Deux Régisseurs, Plusieurs Grands Sages, Les Femmes Nues, Les Deux Corps de Ballet, Jeunes Hommes et Jeunes Filles à Marier, Passants
Number of acts
3
Note

The play re-explores the motif of the two antithetical characters Matoum and Tévibar already used in Matoum et Tévibar (Matoum and Tévibar) in 1918. However, it does so by bringing the plot away from the opposition between regular and avant-garde poetry, which was the central theme of his first puppet comedy.

Plot summary

The fake messiah and the real messiah

Young candidates for marriage are swallowed whole by the Trou du Mariage (the Marriage Hole). Tévibar, who was swallowed, manages to come back out of the Hole. The Grand Sage Matoumoisien (The Great Wise Matoumasian) lets him know that this Hole makes the fake, the ugly, and the bad disappear; and because he was not swallowed, he might be the one who has come to forgive everyone and put an end to the threat of the Hole. Tévibar introduces himself to the assembly of the Grands Sages (the Great Wise Men) pretending to be who they expect him to be: Matoum. However, he has to accomplish three miracles and overcome the trial of the Trou de Justice (Hole of Justice). Tévibar makes the Grands Sages believe that he has overcome the first two miracles and then knocks them all out. He becomes a tyrant to all the people of Matoumoisie but ends up having to pass the trial of the Trou de Justice - it swallows him whole as he confesses to his deception. Matoum arrives to accomplish all the expected miracles. He transforms Matoumoisie, spreading joy and reconciliation but Tévibar stabs him. When the time comes to bury Matoum, his coffin is empty. Everybody bursts out laughing.

Related works
Matoum et Tévibar, Pierre Albert-Birot1918New Testament
Composition date
1919

First performance

Paris, France, 1937 -

Palais de l'UCAF, World Exposition, 4 November 1937, by the Théâtre du Trapèze, staged by Roger Roussot.

Publications and translations

Publication

Pierre Albert-Birot, Théâtre, vol. IV. Mortemart: Rougerie, 1979.

Transcribers
Arlette Albert-Birot
Language
French
Literary tones
Comical, Lyrical, Philosophical tale
Animations techniques
Glove-puppet
, String marionette
, Shadow theatre
Audience
Not specified

Key-words

Theatrical techniques

Identifiers

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Written by

Didier Plassard