Leopoldo Fregoli

Leopoldo Fregoli pose as various composers.

Leopoldo Fregoli dressing from man to woman and back again.

Leopoldo Fregoli gets free tasty samples.

A man changes clothes immediately.

Leopoldo Fregoli plays the guitar to set-up a gag.

Leopoldo Fregoli kissing a lady.

Leopoldo Fregoli as a flirting soldier.

Leopoldo Fregoli eating at the restaurant.

Leopoldo Fregoli at a restaurant with a lady setting up the table.

Leopoldo Fregoli as a magician.

View of the audience, following the launch of a ship.

Backstage, between two curtained doors on either side, Fregoli is seated in the center, dressed in a tight-fitting suit and assisted by two helpers. He rises abruptly, exits, re-enters, disguising himself, thanks in part to the arrival of a third helper, as a character with a wig, big nose and light coat; he undresses again and disguises himself as a ballerina; he exits, re-enters and disguises himself as a gentleman with a black cape and bowler hat, but without the jacket underneath, with his arms exposed.

These three scenes were inspired from a comedy in four acts of the same name by Edmond Audran, performed for the first time at the Théâtre de la Gaieté in Paris on 21 October 1896. A novice, from a very poor convent, is forced to marry to be entitled to an inheritance from his rich uncle. The prior, wanting to take advantage of this opportunity, finds a solution. The novice will marry an automaton and return to the convent. But a real young woman decides to take the place of the doll.

Burla al marito