The play La Grisette et l’Étudiant (The Working girl and the Student) is part of the collected work Le théâtre érotique du XIX siècle (The erotic theatre of the 19th century), composed of some of the plays performed at the Erôtikon Theatron between 1862 and 1863.

This collective project organised by a group of writers, painters and composers aimed at creating independent shows in which it would be possible to tackle erotic themes in a very crude way. The performances were given for about fifty guests, amongst whom were Paul Féval, Henry Monnier, Champfleury, Duranty, or Alphonse Daudet. The hand-puppet booth was installed in a glass room that was used as an antechamber in the house where Amédée Rolland and Jean du Boys used to live, at the 45 Rue de la Santé in Paris.

The Étudiant (Student), waiting for the Grisette (Working girl), reads her letter over and over again. When she arrives, their reunion is passionate, and the couple immediately embraces. Their lovemaking, full of noises and exclamations, catches the attention of the neighbour, Monsieur Prudhomme. Intrigued, he enters the scene and starts giving advice. Annoyed by the intrusion, the Étudiant fiercely asks him to stop bothering them, and passionately goes back to his intimate moment with the Grisette.