Guignol is riddled with debts and can no longer provide for his wife and his daughter Madelon. To get him out of trouble, his friend Grinchitoux suggests that he become an “apache” – that is, a thief – like him. Madelon begs her boyfriend Pintrus to prevent it. Grinchitoux takes Guignol to the edge of the forest, where he is asked to cause accidents and rob the travellers. When Guignol refuses, Grinchitoux threatens him with a gun. Pintrus tries to take Guignol back home, but the latter drives him off. The Baron de Pierrafeu’s car crashes. His valet Trouillard (meaning “lily-livered”) flees, and the Baron is taken inside a cave. Grinchitoux tortures him, until the Baron reveals where his money is hidden and hands him the key to his castle. The Baron is then left for dead. While Grinchitoux fails to find the money, Guignol, who was keeping watch, repents. Pintrus arrives and urges Guignol to flee, as the police is on its way – led by the Baron, who is still alive. Grinchitoux kills the valet Trouillard, then the Baron. He is apprehended by the Gendarme (policeman). Guignol is safe and alive, and he has become a perfect husband. He agrees to Madelon and Pintrus’ marriage. Grinchitoux is sentenced to death. He makes an attempt at escaping, but Guignol catches him, and he is hanged. Guignol treats the policeman and the hangman to a drink.

Glove-puppet

All audiences

Printed

Debt

Bad husband

Devil

False friend

Robber

Burglar

Murderer

Accident

Ambush

Retribution

Repentance

Melodramatic

Dramatic

Didactic

Cover page of Henry de Graffigny's Guignol Apache

French

Mélodrame en cinq actes

Guignol

Painter

Lover

Baron

Valet de chambre

Domestic servant

Guignol’s wife

Madelon

Daughter

Guignol’s daughter

Mrs  Gribiche

Constable

Executioner

Chase

Blow-with-a-stick

Domestic scene

Aside

Offstage

Off-stage noise

Gunshot

Monologue

Hanging scene

Scene of torture

Fake death

Murder on stage

Death on stage

Guignol apache