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

Welcoming families to SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL

At SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL, we are proud to open our doors to generations of first‑time spectators with Mon Premier Guignol, a tender, playful introduction to Lyon’s most emblematic puppet. Nestled in the heart of our historic venue, SALLE 2 is designed for closeness: the stage is just a whisper away, every gesture is legible, and every burst of laughter ripples through the room. From the venue’s perspective, this intimacy is not just an architectural feature—it is a philosophy. Mon Premier Guignol thrives on eye contact, quick repartee, the familiar rhythm of call‑and‑response, and the thrill of seeing a character pop up exactly where little eyes least expect. We shape the experience with careful lighting, warm acoustics, and seating that keeps young viewers engaged while giving parents the comfort to enjoy the craft on display. The show’s pace, humor, and clear storytelling make it the ideal gateway to a living tradition born in Lyon in the early 19th century, and we relish the chance to be the room where a lifelong love of theater begins.

Our resident team continues to renew the spirit of Guignol with curiosity and artisanal rigor, and this season we put that ethos at the heart of Mon Premier Guignol. From SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL, we present a refreshed staging that keeps the mischievous wit of Guignol, the earthy wisdom of Gnafron, and the gentle resolve of Madelon at the forefront, but tailors their adventures for young imaginations. The puppeteers’ artistry is front and center: voices, timing, and a musician’s ear for rhythm guide the audience through moments of suspense and bursts of slapstick. Between performances, our team refines the miniature scenery, repaints backdrops, and fine‑tunes the hand‑carved figures so that each gesture reads clearly from the first row to the last. We also nurture encounters around the show—short exchanges at the edge of the stage, glimpses of how a hand becomes a character, how a bit of fabric turns into a costume—because for us, the theater is not only a place to watch, but a place to understand how stories are made. Mon Premier Guignol is part of a broader artistic cycle we are cultivating this year: accessible formats for families, compact adventures with vivid stakes, and a careful balance between tradition and surprise, all shaped by the acoustics and intimacy of SALLE 2.

Inside the experience of Mon Premier Guignol

What can families expect when the curtain rises? In SALLE 2 - THEATRE MAISON DE GUIGNOL, Mon Premier Guignol unfolds like a friendly conspiracy between stage and audience. The narrative is clear, the conflicts are playful, and solutions are found through cleverness rather than force—true to the character’s social satire, distilled for little ones. Children quickly learn the rules of the game: to warn a hero when a trickster sneaks in, to applaud a brave idea, to giggle at a hat that won’t stay put. The musicianship of the puppeteers supplies tempo and punctuation—tiny drumbeats of wood on wood, the soft rustle of a curtain, the bright snap of a prop—so that even the smallest spectators can follow without strain. We sculpt the sound so that laughter never drowns out the words, and we keep the visual palette bright and readable, with transitions that ease newcomers from one scene to the next. Beyond the stage picture, the room itself participates: the slope of SALLE 2 ensures an open view for every child, the proximity allows whispers to feel like secrets, and the final bow often sparks spontaneous waves and questions. For us as a venue, that dialogue is the heart of the performance. Mon Premier Guignol is more than a first show; it is a welcoming ritual, an invitation to return, and a celebration of how a centuries‑old Lyonnais figure can still make today’s children feel seen, brave, and full of laughter.