Synopsis

Simplice is in love with Marceline, but she wants him to be braver and stand up to her father.

History

First publication: Mr. Chimp & Other Plays, BearManor Fiction, June 3, 2011

Original French title: Les Compagnons de la Marjolaine. A comic opera with music by Aristide Hignard. Written with Michael Carre.

Review

The first of Verne’s plays I have read, not knowing previously that he did palys or operettas. It is of it’s time. The characters would not be acceptable in anything written today, with their poor attitudes towards women. But if you account for when it was written it is pretty good and enjoyable. Probably even moreso if you see it performed with music in the original French, though the translation I read did a good job of keeping the sense of music to the songs.