Guignol’s World
Guignol is an emblematic puppet of French puppet theater. He was born in Lyon in 1808 from the hands of its creator, Laurent Mourguet.
In his hometown, Guignol is much more than a simple puppet: he embodies the very essence of the city of Lyon and its rebellious spirit. The people of Lyon maintain a unique relationship with this prankster and endearing character, a symbol of their humor and their protest spirit in the face of current events that are not always upbeat.
Guignol is famous throughout France. The Guignol Theater has over time become a national cultural specificity, and Guignol is undoubtedly the most famous representative of the city of Lyon.
His creator, Laurent Mourguet, is the son of a modest Lyonnais canut (silk worker), a former tooth puller before becoming a full-time puppeteer.
He brought the character of Guignol to life in 1808 to complete his series of puppets then composed of Polichinelle and Gnafron. Guignol then plays supporting roles in a castelet, a small traveling street theater that travels through Lyon and its surroundings.
Very quickly, Guignol attracts the sympathy of the public who seem to tire of the character of Punchinelle. Laurent Mourguet then decides to bet everything on a puppet duo composed of Guignol and his faithful friend Gnafron.
The Théâtre Lyonnais de Guignol was born.
In reality we are not sure because 5 hypotheses exist:
- Laurent Mourguet would have met a rather funny character, passing through Lyon and who came from an Italian town called Chignolo. The name of this town is said to be the origin of the name Guignol. There are actually 2 towns in Lombardy (northern Italy) with this name: Chignolo Po (south east of Milan) and Chignolo d’Isola (Bergamo region)
- Jean Guignol would have been a Canut worker whose personality would have strongly inspired Laurent Mourguet during the creation of his puppet. We have actually found traces of a dyer named Jean Guignol who, according to his military file, was 40 years old in 1808.
- Laurent Mourguet would have had a neighbor whose favorite expression was « it’s guignolant » (it’s very funny) The problem with this hypothesis is that the « Littré de la Grand’Côte », famous dictionary of Lyon patois published in 1894, translates the word « guignolant » as « boring, painful… »
- “Nitouche et Guignolet” was a comedy written in 1802 by Dorvigny and certainly known to Laurent Mourguet. Guignol would then be the abbreviation of “Guignolet”, a comic and popular character of the time.
- The last hypothesis is based on an anonymous handwritten testimony, found inside a book from the end of the 19th century, in which its author tells us a completely different story. That of a puppet who « Guigne de l’Oeil » (who squints in the Lyon language) and which Laurent Mourguet would simply have called Guignol. And this is indeed the case of Laurent Mourguet’s official puppet.
His coat is that of the canut foremen in the 19th century. The coat is then often worn over a jacket. This is how Guignol wears it.
His hat is that of the crocheters, these workers who worked on the banks of the Rhône and the Saône rivers. The leather frontal part was used to protect the forehead from the ropes used to pull the boats. Note that another version speaks of a bicorne or a tricorne hat from which Laurent Mourguet would have removed the edges. But this idea seems to find its origins in the drawings of André Steyert (late 19th century)
Finally, Guignol wears the ponytail, this little braid behind the neck which was very fashionable at the time. But Guignol calls it his “salsify” or his “rat tail”.
Guignol is a colorful character, with a frank, mischievous and rebellious personality. He is known for his outspokenness and his boldness in challenging authority, which earned him great sympathy among the public. His mischief and sense of humor make him an endearing and funny character.
Guignol is loyal in friendship and knows how to surround himself with colorful characters:
- Gnafron, his faithful friend, is a jovial and greedy character, who adds a comic dimension to their adventures. Together they form an inseparable duo, throwing spicy one-liners at each other and exchanging hilarious dialogues.
- Madelon is Guignol’s wife and is also present in many stories. She is often represented as a strong and resourceful woman, capable of standing up to him and making him listen to reason.
This is how the official repertoire of Guignol plays is called. A set of pranks inspired by the daily life of the time.
Failed scams, stolen thieves, embezzled inheritances, cheated owners, stories of the police, haunted castles… are all situations that Guignol must confront. But fortunately for our mischievous hero, all’s always well that ends well.
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