Jealous wives and surprised adulterers, bandits and con artists, philosophizing garbage men and resurrected dead bring surprises. Dario Fo succeeds in making the reader laugh. He provokes grotesquely humorous situations that somewhat resemble absurd theater. With "Thieves, Ladies, Puppets," Fo revives the clown and fool antics, the juggler revue, and the comedian dialogues from a deep slumber. One doesn't need to be a prophet to predict the liveliest interest from all free groups, amateur stages, etc., in the four one-act plays of this volume. The thief who came to no harm. The naked man and the man in a tailcoat. Painters are forgetful. Corpses are sent, women undress.