description On purge Bébé Overview
On purge Bébé is a one-act farce written by the French playwright Georges Feydeau and first performed in 1910 at the Théâtre des Nouveautés in Paris. The play centers on Follavoine, a porcelain manufacturer trying to secure a government contract, while his wife Chouilloux insists on administering an enema to their infant son Toto, creating escalating domestic chaos that disrupts the critical business meeting in the next room. The work is one of Feydeau's most frequently performed short plays, exemplifying the mechanics of the French vaudeville tradition through its tightly constructed farcical escalation within a single bourgeois setting.
insights Ranking position
On purge Bébé ranks #53 of 161 in the Vaudeville ranking, behind Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre, ahead of New York Hippodrome.
help On purge Bébé FAQ
Who wrote the play "On purge Bébé"?
"On purge Bébé" (often translated as "Baby's Laxative") is a one-act vaudeville play written by the French playwright Georges Feydeau. It premiered in 1910 and remains one of his most frequently performed shorter works.
What is the main plot of "On purge Bébé"?
The plot revolves around a bourgeois couple's frantic and comical struggle to administer a laxative to their young son. Their efforts are constantly thwarted by an inconvenient business visit from a stubborn guest.
What does the title "On purge Bébé" mean in English?
The title translates literally to "We are purging baby" or "Baby is being purged." It refers directly to the plot's central conflict of the parents trying to give their reluctant child an enema or laxative.
Is "On purge Bébé" typical of Feydeau's style?
Yes, it perfectly exemplifies Feydeau's signature style of the French *vaudeville* or *boulevard* farce. It relies on rapid-fire dialogue, absurd domestic situations, and escalating physical comedy.
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