Guignol Et Les Trois Dragons - Théâtre La Maison De Guignol, Lyon

At THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL: a living tradition welcomes a new adventure

At THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL, we are delighted to welcome audiences into our intimate house for Guignol et les trois Dragons, a playful and spirited journey that celebrates the soul of Lyon’s most famous puppet. From our stage in the heart of the old city, we continue the lineage that began with Laurent Mourguet, inviting families, curious newcomers, and devoted regulars to experience the quick wit, rebellious charm, and generous laughter that define Guignol. This production leans into everything spectators love: the rapid-fire banter, the tender complicity with the audience, the mischievous cane, and the way Guignol darts between satire and kindness. Crafted by our resident puppeteers with finely tuned timing and an eye for visual detail, the staging brings out the best of traditional techniques while folding in contemporary references that children grasp and adults savor. In our theatre, the distance between stage and audience is short by design; you can hear the wood, read the glint in a painted eye, and feel the rhythm of a performance that breathes with the room—alive, local, and completely present.

About Guignol et les trois Dragons on our stage

Guignol et les trois Dragons offers the kind of adventure that lets the character test his legendary resourcefulness. Three dragons are, of course, three challenges—comic, surprising, and a little unruly—and our staging turns each encounter into a moment of game, music, and collective imagination. Expect the set to transform at speed, the puppets to tumble into scrapes, and Guignol to navigate trouble with a smile that never quite hides his sense of justice. Children will call out with glee when Guignol needs help; adults will catch sly nods to everyday life in Lyon. The show’s pace is nimble, its humor generous, and the craft evident in the textures of fabric, paint, and wood that give each character a distinct presence. Because our space is tailored for puppetry, sightlines are excellent for young spectators, and the soundscape—built from percussive rhythms, bursts of melody, and the intimate resonance of the voice—travels warmly through the room. We schedule performances to suit families and school groups, maintaining the convivial spirit that has always defined the house.

Presenting Guignol et les trois Dragons is part of our ongoing artistic commitment to keep Guignol both timeless and timely. Season after season, we invite artists of the discipline to revisit classic figures—Guignol, Gnafron, and Madelon among them—through stories that speak to today’s audiences without losing the quicksilver wit of the original repertoire. Our company continues to develop new dramaturgical textures: a sharper ear for the city’s rhythms, a focus on cooperation and courage in the face of oversized obstacles, and a playful dialogue with the headlines that families discuss on the way to the theatre. Around the performances, we nurture the encounter between makers and spectators, with moments where children can see how a gesture becomes a character, and how a burst of improvisation can turn a room into a chorus. As a venue, we care for the small details that make a night out simple and memorable—from a warm welcome at the door to clear guidance for groups—so that the show itself can take center stage. In our house, Guignol still surprises, and the dragons still bow to laughter.