Act 1. Prologue
Old Pridamant, a Rennes citizen, has been searching in vain for ten years now for his only beloved son, Klindor, whom he once banished, and now repents. Dorant, a childhood friend of Klindor, leads the old man to the wizard Alcandre, "working" in one grotto. They haven’t explained anything to Alcandra yet, and he already knows everything and reassures Pridamant, inviting him to show, with the help of “talking ghosts,” his son’s life from the moment he left Rennes.
Acts 2-4. The Adventures of Cylinder
Clindor appears. He lives in Bordeaux and serves the Gascon "captain" Matamor, caring for Isabella, a girl from a good family. Her father, Geront, is going to marry her to the young Baron Adrast. But Klindor, whom Matamor ordered to care for Isabella, falls in love with her. Adrast, feeling that Isabella does not love him, enlisted the support of her father and siret, Lisa, who is also in love with Klindor and, accordingly, is jealous. The maid promises to do so to surprise Klindor and Isabella on a love date. Lovers fall into a trap, but Klindor ... kills Adrast. The hero, imprisoned and sentenced to death, flees thanks to the help of the repentant Lisa.
Act 5. Tragedy
Two years have passed.Married Isabella and Klindor are with the English prince Florilam. Isabella catches her frivolous husband on a date with Princess Rosina, Florilam’s wife. Spouses are explained and Klindor, surprised by the generosity of Isabella, decides to abandon Rosina. The princess appears and begs, then threatens Klindor. Catastrophe! The people of Florilam break in, kill Klindor and Rosina, and kidnap Isabella, by order of the prince. The epilogue and the end of the illusion: the dead come to life and it turns out that all this was just a theatrical play. The traitor was offended that his son became an actor (this profession was not respected by the townspeople). Alcander explains to him the nobility and usefulness of the new theater. The addict quickly changes his beliefs and decides to go to Paris, to his dear Clindor.
