The play is one of Lope de Vega's earliest, dating from between 1590 and 1595 and tells the story of two lovers who, one fleeing from the Spanish army and the other from an oppressive father, feign insanity and seek refuge in the asylum of Valencia.
To save him, his best friend Valerio disguises him as a philosopher named Beltran (Spanish: Beltrán), gone mad from a blend of love and too much studying.
Erifila has escaped her over-bearing father and an abhorred arranged marriage by convincing her servant, Leonato, that she is in love with him and wants to elope.
Erifila finds out about the wedding, confronts Floriano in a jealous rage and vows she will be revenged despite his protestations that the marriage is a stunt to ‘cure’ Fedra.
But the gentleman has a few surprises up his sleeve allowing a delightful conclusion as Floriano is reunited with Erifila, Valerio is matched with Fedra and the couples leave the asylum to be married.
The ingenious staging of Ton Lutz and the original costumes by Nico Wijnberg ensured the farce a great success.