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

A season highlight at THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL

At THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL, we are delighted to welcome audiences for Guignol et les trois dragons, a brand-new adventure carved from the living heart of Lyon’s puppetry tradition. As a stage dedicated to the legacy and reinvention of Guignol, our mission is to offer an intimate encounter with handcrafted artistry: clear sightlines for young spectators, a warm acoustic for the puppeteers’ voices, and the shared joy that only a room full of families can generate. This production carries the quick wit, social spirit, and playful audacity that have defined Guignol for generations, while embracing contemporary rhythm and a cinematic sense of movement. From the moment the curtain rises, our auditorium becomes a space of wonder where laughter tumbles into suspense and back again, inviting children to respond, cheer, and guess what clever trick might come next. As a venue, we take pride in presenting work that bridges eras—rooted in tradition yet freshly spoken—and Guignol et les trois dragons joins our current season as a beacon for multigenerational audiences seeking craftsmanship, storytelling, and conviviality.

Inside Guignol et les trois dragons

What awaits on stage is an encounter between Guignol’s resourcefulness and the fantastical challenge posed by three dragons—a premise that sparks both gentle frights and jubilant relief. Our resident puppeteers animate a world where imagination and rhythm guide the eye: crisp glove-puppet technique, vibrant silhouettes, and playful sound design keep the youngest viewers engaged without leaving adults behind. The script braids humor and bravery, teasing out themes of friendship, community, and the kind of everyday courage that has always made Guignol a folk hero. The staging favors agility and clarity: snap transitions, vivid colors, and just enough surprise to prompt giggles and gasps in equal measure. Audiences can expect lively call-and-response moments, the kind that fill the theatre with a collective pulse, while the narrative remains accessible to first-time visitors and satisfying for long-time aficionados. By assembling a gallery of expressive characters around Guignol—companions, foils, and formidable adversaries—the show invites each spectator to find a voice in the story’s unfolding, whether through laughter, encouragement, or the hush that accompanies a well-timed reveal.

Guignol et les trois dragons also reflects the wider artistic momentum shaping our season at THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL. Our company continues to develop new scripts alongside loving revivals, preserving the heritage techniques of glove puppetry while experimenting with pacing, music, and visual transitions that speak to today’s families. This year we have deepened our educational pathway, with workshops and post-show conversations scheduled across key periods to help children discover how a puppet moves, how a scene breathes, and how a story grows from sketches to stage. Backstage, our artisans refine and restore puppets, refresh painted sets, and explore eco-conscious materials, ensuring the craft remains both resilient and radiant. By placing Guignol et les trois dragons at the center of this creative cycle, we present a production that is nimble, welcoming, and finely tuned to the live encounter—ideal for first visits, birthday outings, and multi-generational gatherings. We invite families, schools, and curious theatre-goers to experience the close-up magic our room was built for: the instant when a carved figure finds a voice, the audience leans in, and the theatre becomes a shared home for astonishment.