New Russian Translation Available

PLOT

Farce

ACT 1.

A hotel hall, on the seaside near Naples. Early twenties. A group of poor actors guided da Gennaro, has been invited to perform by young and rich gentleman, Alberto, who will pay for their bills. The actors are cooking spaghetti in their room. Alberto is in love with a mysterious Lady, Bice, who has never told him her identity and address. She says that she's pregnant and that she will take care of the baby herself. Bice leaves, promising a future meeting. Alberto ask one of the actors to follow her and discover where she lives. Viola is Gennaro's leading actress and lover. She is visibly pregnant. Her brother, a violent neurotic, asks Alberto about the future of his sister. Alberto mistakes him for the brother of the mysterious lady, and promises him to marry her. Salvatore informs Gennaro and his sister Viola about Alberto's intention. The couple is surprised but Viola is pleased. Salvatore gives Gennaro two hours to leave Viola, otherwise he will crash his head. The actors rehears the melodrama scheduled for the night, facing the lack of a full cast and the inexperience of the prompter. This long scene is one of the funniest of the entire Italian theatre. Alberto mistakes the play for a farce and laughs. At the end of the rehearsal Salvatore returns and finds Gennaro and Salvatore embraced. He violently reacts blaming Alberto for leaving his future bride in the hands of a former lover. Alberto protests that Viola is not the bride. Salvatore believes that he changed his mind because of Gennaro and, as promised, runs after him in order to crash his head. Gennaro runs in the boiling pot ready for the spaghetti and burns his feet.

ACT 2

Elegant living room in the house of Count Tolentano. Bice, the mysterious lady, is dancing with is husband, the Count. Gennaro arrives. The count, a retired doctor, has promised to cure his feet. While the two exit to another room Bice goes on the balcony. Matilde, Bice's old mother, receives the visit of Alberto, who informs her that his daughter is pregnant and that he would like to marry her. Matilde answers that she knows about the pregnancy and that she is already married. Tolentano, has listened to this dialogue and asks Alberto the meaning of it. The gentleman, in order to save Bice, pretends to be fool, singing and saying nonsense. But Gennaro, coming in, ruins his plan, not willingly. He reveals to the Count that Alberto is in love with a mysterious lady, and that he's never been mad. The Count holds Alberto in the house while the police arrives. He want him to be locked into a mental hospital. While the Count is out, Alberto tries to explain the truth to the policeman, Lampetti, with the help of Gennaro. When the count returns with Bice, Gennaro is asked to say the truth. He lies, saying that Alberto is mad. Doing so he saves Bice's honor. Alberto he is arrested.

ACT 3

Police office Count Tolentano meets Alberto, who is waiting to be transferred to the mental hospital. He tells him that he knows full well the truth (that he's not mad and that he had an affair with his wife). But proposes him to go on playing the fool. The honor will be saved. If Alberto refuses he will shot him. Alberto accepts. Lampetti, the head of Police, receives Bice, who wants to save Alberto from the mental hospital. She tells him the truth and justifies her betrayal saying that the Count himself has a lover (gives him letters proving it). She wanted to punish him. Lampetti is about to free Alberto, who, fearing the count, shouts that he want to go to the mental hospital. The actors arrive in the office because as Alberto is detained, they have not been paid. The hotel owner has thrown them out and kept all their belonging. Gennaro informs Alberto that the count cannot shoot as has a lover himself. So Alberto can ask to be freed. Lampetti is confused by the changing of Alberto's versions. Tthe count arrives asking why the wife came to the police office. Lampetti asks him if the love letter are his, he acts as a fool and sings the same song Alberto sang. Finally Alberto is freed. T the actors, requested to pay the hotel bill, start to sing the same song.