The story begins under Louis Philippe.
At a village square, a troupe of actors are waiting for a response from the prefect of police. Their director, Sergei Lamatosov had asked for permission to perform a play about Napoleon Bonaparte's life.
The answer comes: authorization, under certain conditions: the room must be decent and not give any possibility of any scandal or public disorder. Lamatosov decides that the first performance will be held the same evening, and rehearsals can begin.
