La Fille de Madame Angot
by Louis ClairvilleGenre: Operetta
Setting:
Format of Original Source: Short Story
Recommended Adaptation Length: Two Hours
Candidate for Adaptation? Promising
EXCERPT:
The first act opens in a market square in Paris where the marketwomen and others in holiday costume are making ready to celebrate the wedding of Pomponnet, the hairdresser, and Clairette, the daughter of the late Madame Angot. During the festive preparations, for which Clairette has little desire, as her affections are fixed upon Ange Pitou, a street singer, who is continually in trouble by reason of his political songs, the latter makes his appearance. He is informed of the forthcoming wedding, which has been arranged by the market people, who have adopted Clairette as the child of the market. At the same time Larivaudière and Louchard, the police officials who caused his arrest because of his knowledge of the relations of Larivaudière and Mademoiselle Lange, the comedienne and favorite of Barras, are surprised to find him at large. To prevent him from reciting his knowledge in a song which he is sure has been written, Larivaudière buys him off. Pitou subsequently regrets his bargain. When the crowd clamors for a song, he says he has none. The people are furious with him, but Clairette comes to his rescue. She has found the song denouncing Larivaudière, sings it, and is arrested, notwithstanding Pitou’s declaration that he is the author of it.
COMMENTS:
At the heart of this plot is a political song which is so polarizing that there’s a decree that anyone who sings it is to be arrested. If you grab a hold of this idea and place it in a country in which free speech is banned (pick one), you might have something interesting here, especially because it’s a woman who finally has the courage to sing the song in public. There’s something quite contemporary here; well worth the pondering. (You’d want to do something with the rest of the operetta detritus of jealous lovers and miserable affiances.)
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