Paillasse

Paillasse (or La Paillasse in some sources, i.e. "Clown" or "The Clown") is a French drama in five acts by Adolphe d' Ennery (1811-1899)[2] and Marc Fournier (1818-1879)

Featuring a clown named "Belphégor", it was a great success and became the source for a number of English adaptations by various authors. It was first performed in Paris at the Théâtre de la Gaité, on 9 November 1850. Published in Paris by Dondey-Dupré, 1850 and in Volume 17 of Magasin théâtral illustré by J. A. Lelong, Brussels, in 1850. Not to be confused with the opera Pagliacci (known as Paillasse in French and The Players in English) by Ruggero Leoncavallo.