 "Das Nusch-Nuschi" is based on a 1904 play by Franz Blei, subtitled "A Play for Burmese Marionettes".Blei was a Wagner enthusiast when he was young, but turned to contributing to the satirical weekly "Simplicissimus" and wrote plays for the cabaret (The Eleven Executioners), founded in Munich and focused on puppet satire.He had his "Nusch-Nuschi" reprinted in 1913 in an issue of "Die Aktion" that was dedicated to his work.