Mon Premier Guignol - Le Théâtre La Maison De Guignol, Lyon

Mon Premier Guignol at SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL

At SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL, we have the joy of welcoming families for Mon Premier Guignol, a gateway to Lyon’s most beloved puppet tradition. From our vantage point as the host venue, we witness first-time spectators—children and accompanying adults alike—discover the distinctive rhythm, wit, and tenderness of Guignol. Our intimate room brings the stage right to the audience, so every gesture, burst of laughter, and cheeky aside feels close and shared. Mon Premier Guignol distills the essence of this heritage: the mischievous hero’s quick thinking, the playful scolding of authority, and the spontaneous call-and-response that makes the audience an active partner in the story. You’ll meet familiar figures from the repertoire, from Gnafron’s good humor to Madelon’s grounded wisdom, in a format calibrated for short attention spans, flowing music cues, and clear storytelling. We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming space where curiosity is encouraged, where a child’s first “Bravo!” becomes part of the performance energy, and where the tradition’s lively language and antics feel both timeless and freshly alive in the moment.

From our stage to young imaginations

As the theater presenting this production, we are continually inspired by the artistry at work behind Mon Premier Guignol. The puppeteers who animate the figures in our SALLE 2 bring a blend of finesse and improvisational spark, matching Guignol’s quicksilver humor with deft manipulation, precise timing, and vocal agility. Their approach keeps the historical roots intact while updating the pacing and scenic detail to suit contemporary audiences discovering the character for the first time. From hand-painted sets that nod to Lyon’s streets to music that punctuates pranks and reconciliations, every layer supports young imaginations without overwhelming them. Our technical team fine-tunes lights and sound so the smallest movement reads clearly, while the performers craft a dialogue with the audience—inviting cheers, whispers of advice, and the iconic rallying cries that belong to this tradition. In recent months, the company has continued to deepen its repertoire with fresh stagings and carefully restored figures, pursuing the same mission that defines our venue: to nurture a living art form that speaks directly to children today and still honors the spirit that made Guignol a cultural touchstone.

From behind the scenes, we see how Mon Premier Guignol works as a first encounter with theater itself. The show’s structure introduces the basic “codes” of performance—entrances and exits, a hero’s dilemma, the stakes of choices, and the delightful relief of a clever solution—so that young viewers intuitively understand how stories are built. Our ushers and front-of-house team tailor the experience for families, ensuring an easy, unhurried arrival and a calm transition into the magic of the stage. Inside SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL, the proximity between audience and marionettes produces a shared sense of wonder: you can hear the soft rustle of backstage preparation, sense the performers’ responsiveness to the room, and feel the collective breath before a punchline lands. After the curtain call, many spectators linger to exchange smiles and first impressions—those quick observations that reveal how deeply Guignol’s humor and kindness resonate. Hosting Mon Premier Guignol reminds us why we do what we do: to offer a vivid, human-scale encounter with art that children can claim as their own, and to keep a Lyonnaise tradition vibrant by letting it live and laugh in the present.