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- El astrólogo fingido
- Staging information
El astrólogo fingido (c.1623), Pedro Calderón de la Barca
- Scene
This is a three-act comedia.
- Staging
The scene is set in Madrid. Juan is described as wearing plumes and spurs when he enters for the first time, and others comment on how he is magnificently dressed. Diego gives Morón a ring in act 2. Morón brings writing materials (ink, a quill and paper) to Diego, and Violante writes a note at his dictation. The letter is thrown into Juan’s room and he reads it. Violante brings candles to light the room when she expects Juan’s ghostly apparition, creating a dark, otherworldly atmosphere she believes will suit the spirit. In the third act, María gives Juan a jewel and a ribbon. Violante and her servant go about cloaked and veiled to conceal their identities. The page, Otáñez, waits in travelling clothes with his bags as he packs up and gets ready to move to the hills. Morón stages a set piece in which he fools the old man into thinking he is flying to his own village from Madrid, but really he is standing with one leg on either side of a bench while blindfolded. Morón replaces the old man’s life savings with a stone and leaves him to be found by the others.
- Cast number
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Minimum Maximum 7 males 7 males 4 females 4 females 11 (total) 11 (total) - Characters
- DOÑA MARÍA, Noblewoman
- BEATRIZ, Lady-in-waiting to María
- DON JUAN DE MEDRANO
- DON DIEGO DE LUNA
- MORÓN, Servant to Diego
- DON CARLOS DE TOLEDO
- DON ANTONIO
- OTÁÑEZ, Squire/page
- LEONARDO, Old man
- VIOLANTE, Noblewoman
- QUITERIA, Lady-in-waiting to Violante
Entry written by Kathleen Jeffs. Last updated on 7 March 2011.
