description La Cagnotte Overview
"La Cagnotte" is an 1864 vaudeville play written by Eugène Labiche and Alfred Delacour. The comedic farce follows a group of provincial gamblers whose pooled lottery winnings lead to escalating misadventures during a trip to Paris. It serves as a classic example of 19th-century French theatrical comedy, utilizing fast-paced dialogue and ensemble-driven situations to satirize bourgeois greed and the culture of financial speculation.
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Who wrote the vaudeville play "La Cagnotte"?
"La Cagnotte" was written by Eugène Labiche in collaboration with Alfred Delacour. Labiche was one of the most prolific and celebrated authors of 19th-century French comedy, writing well over a hundred plays during his career.
When was "La Cagnotte" first performed?
"La Cagnotte" was first produced in 1864 in Paris. It premiered during the Second French Empire, a period when the théâtre du Palais-Royal and similar venues flourished as homes for Labiche's brand of comedic farce.
What is the plot of "La Cagnotte"?
The farce follows a group of provincial gamblers whose pooled lottery winnings—the "cagnotte" of the title—trigger escalating misadventures during a trip to Paris. The comedy derives from the characters' greed, incompetence, and the chaos of their interactions in the capital.
What genre of French theater does "La Cagnotte" represent?
"La Cagnotte" is a classic example of the 19th-century French vaudeville tradition—a comedic farce blending rapid-fire dialogue, situational absurdity, and occasional musical interludes. Labiche was a master of this genre, which entertained Parisian middle-class audiences with satirical portraits of provincial life.
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