Out 1 — Season 1

Aired 9 October 1971 • 90 min

Rivette instantly establishes his playful, no-rules reality as two theater troupes rehearse avant-garde versions of Aeschylus plays climaxing in an epic, hypnotic warm-up exercise that unfolds like a primal, clothed orgy. We are introduced to a deadpan, deaf-mute busker and Frédérique, a wayward young con artist.

Aired 9 October 1971 • 110 min

The outlines of a conspiracy begin to emerge as the busker begins receiving cryptic letters with references to Balzac and Lewis Carroll’s 'The Hunting of the Snark'. Meanwhile, rehearsals take an unsettling turn.

Aired 9 October 1971 • 108 min

The mystery of the enigmatic notes deepens as the busker learns about their connection to Balzac’s 'History of the Thirteen'. Elsewhere, tensions flare up at rehearsals.

Aired 9 October 1971 • 106 min

The various strands of the story begin to intersect. The busker continues on his quest to uncover the source of the cryptic letters, while Frédérique is also inadvertently drawn into the conspiracy. Games—cops and robbers, chess, and cons—abound.

Aired 10 October 1971 • 89 min

Frédérique finds that blackmail doesn’t pay as she crosses paths with the busker who is now in love with Pauline—or is it Emilie? Meanwhile, a wild goose chase through Paris ensues when one of the productions is fleeced out of money.

Aired 10 October 1971 • 101 min

Maps, symbols, codes, card games, and double meanings: the intrigue starts to accelerate.

Aired 10 October 1971 • 98 min

Cracks in the conspiracy begin to appear and things really start to get confusing.

Aired 10 October 1971 • 73 min

And then the narrative implodes...