Les Vacances De Monsieur Guignol

Les vacances de Monsieur Guignol at THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL

From our stage in the heart of Vieux Lyon, we are delighted to open our doors to families, schools, and curious visitors for Les vacances de Monsieur Guignol, a sunny escapade that celebrates everything we cherish about our city’s most famous puppet. At THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL, intimacy is part of the magic: the proximity between audience and stage lets every wink, every pratfall, and every clever aside land with sparkling clarity. In this new seasonal caper, Guignol prepares for a well-earned break, only to find that mischief travels as readily as a suitcase. Expect the beloved rhythm of call-and-response, the laughter that erupts when children shout warnings, and the gentle satire that has defined Lyon’s tradition since the 19th century. Our artisans have refreshed the scenery with bright, transportable sets—parasols, trunks, and whimsical props—and the puppeteers animate the characters with a finesse that highlights Guignol’s quick wit, Madelon’s warmth, and Gnafron’s irresistible roguish charm. Whether you are a lifelong devotee or meeting Guignol for the first time, you will feel the living thread of Lyonnaise heritage weaving through every scene.

Our current artistic momentum

This season at THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL, our resident team has deepened its craft with new carvings, repainted faces, and a refreshed musical palette that punctuates dialogue with cheerful rhythms and delicate sound cues. Les vacances de Monsieur Guignol benefits from this momentum: the show’s staging moves with cinematic agility—from a bustling neighborhood to breezy “holiday” tableaux—while maintaining the artisanal heartbeat of glove puppetry. We have focused on clarity of storytelling for young audiences without losing the grown-up layers of social humor that make Guignol timeless. In rehearsal, the puppeteers refined crisp manipulation for chases and comic reversals, and our lighting designer has added warm, sunlit washes that shift subtly as the adventure unfolds. Around this production, we continue to nurture encounters with the public: during select dates, the troupe greets children after the performance so they can see up close how a puppet is handled and ask questions about voice, movement, and character. For our Lyon neighbors returning regularly and visitors discovering us on a weekend trip, this is a season dedicated to accessibility, shared laughter, and the living pleasure of craft.

Hosting Les vacances de Monsieur Guignol also lets us reaffirm what defines our venue: a home for tradition that speaks to today. The writing nods to contemporary concerns—civility on the road, small acts of solidarity, the joy of travel done with imagination rather than extravagance—without losing the playful anarchy that fuels Guignol’s best tricks. Our auditorium’s scale keeps performances vibrant and participatory; the audience becomes an ally in Guignol’s schemes, a chorus of tiny accomplices whose cheers and warnings shape the action. Practical comforts matter, too: sightlines are designed with children in mind, and the pace of the show balances bursts of gags with moments of tenderness so even the youngest spectators can follow the thread. While the dialogue preserves the flavor of Lyon, the expressiveness of the puppets, the musical punctuation, and the clear visual storytelling make the experience welcoming for non-French speakers as well. We are proud to carry this living emblem of the city forward, and with Les vacances de Monsieur Guignol we invite you to step into a pocket-sized world where humor, craft, and community meet—right here, on the boards of THEATRE LA MAISON DE GUIGNOL.