Polichinelle

First of all, this is not the Stravinsky Pulcinella. It is Rossini and it tells the tale of a free spirit in a colorful ballet of life. A man is forced out of his bed by his humorless wife and sent on his way. He is supposed to sweep but ends up on a journey where he is on stage, meets demons, local soldiers, the depths of a volcano. It is so captivating.

Poor "Pulcinella" just wants to be left to sleep, but his wife has other plans. He is turfed outside for his ablutions and taking a leak against a rather grand statue, finds himself pursued by the soldiers guarding it. He makes it home, just, climbs up onto the roof and resumes his slumbers, he hopes, in peace. Sadly, though, as Rossini's lively version of the story accompanies his dreams, he experiences a series of adventures that never see him escape from the soldiers or his wife. Nightmarish or what? I liked the abstract nature of the animation sequences and I also enjoyed the mischief in the characterisation of the man as he encounters just about everything - delivered ballet style - whilst simply trying to get some kip. He might be the laziest man in the village, but I did empathise and I also quite enjoyed this quirky and vivid ten minutes of quickly paced fun.