Guignol Et Le Concours De Coups De Bâton - Théâtre La Maison De Guignol, Lyon

Guignol et le concours de coups de bâton at THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL

At THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL, we are delighted to welcome audiences for Guignol et le concours de coups de bâton, a spirited new rendezvous with Lyon’s most famous wooden hero. Nestled in the heart of Vieux Lyon, our intimate venue was built for the nimble wit, rhythmic mischief, and communal laughter that a Guignol adventure inspires. This production takes the joyous physicality of the traditional bâton gag and turns it into a full-blown contest, a playful pretext for quick-fire repartee, nimble stagecraft, and that signature dose of social satire. Children revel in the slapstick; adults smile at the sly subtext; and everyone shares the pleasure of calling out to help Guignol outsmart bluster and bureaucracy. We present the piece with the warm craft that defines our house: detailed sets glowing under theatrical lamplight, true-to-tradition puppets cut to the Lyonnais silhouette, and a tempo that keeps the room buzzing without ever rushing the punchline. When Guignol, Gnafron, and Madelon take the stage, they carry two centuries of popular theatre on their wooden shoulders—and they do it with the lightness of a wink.

The company’s living tradition and current artistic momentum

As a company dedicated to the living heritage of Lyon’s puppet theatre, we continually sharpen repertory classics while commissioning and staging fresh episodes that speak to today. For this season, our artistic team focused on clarity of gesture, musical cues that lift the humor, and scenographic details that echo the city’s streets and courtyards—so the audience recognizes itself in the story. Guignol et le concours de coups de bâton returns to a fundamental truth of the canon: the baton is not a weapon but a metronome of rhythm and justice, striking out pomp and pretension until fairness prevails. We pair that kinetic language with the warmth of familiar voices: Guignol’s resourcefulness, Gnafron’s convivial missteps, Madelon’s grounded wisdom. Our puppeteers hone the micro-choreography that makes a fabric skirt ruffle like a sigh or a wooden nod read as a full sentence, and they do so with a fidelity to the original spirit of Laurent Mourguet while embracing contemporary timing and audience interplay. Beyond the stage, our team continues to nurture young spectators and new practitioners through encounters and post-show moments, ensuring the tradition grows brighter as it grows older.

Audiences joining us at THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL can expect a crisp, generous staging that amplifies the call-and-response heartbeat of a Guignol performance. We refine every beat of the “concours” so that each clack of the bâton lands as a laugh, never as a blow; the humor skims merrily above the fray, carried by live cues and deft sound design. The narrative moves with the agility of marionettes who know their city: from a bustling square to a crafty backroom scheme, right up to the contest that turns bluster into buffoonery. Our seating brings every spectator close to the frame, and that proximity cultivates a rare complicity—children whisper strategies to Guignol, grown-ups catch the cheeky political undertones, and both meet in the joyous din of collective storytelling. We honor the patois-inflected cadences that give Guignol his musicality while keeping the diction open and clear for all visitors. For families, school groups, and the faithful Lyonnais public, Guignol et le concours de coups de bâton is both a celebration and a renewal, a chance to greet an old friend who still has dazzling new tricks hidden up his wooden sleeve.