The tenants of a building (a Baroness, a Knight and a Marquis) meet to ask their landlord, Monsieur Dubost, to evict Guignol, another tenant who plays tricks on them. For instance, he ties a cat to a bell-rope, puts a tight string in the stairs so that everyone who walks there falls, nails planks on the door of an apartment and writes “closed due to a death”. The landlord asks that Guignol explain himself and the latter tells him that this is how he takes revenge on his neighbours for what they put him through. Because he cannot evict Guignol since he pays his rent duly, he offers him to change apartments but Guignol requests a hundred ecus to move out. The landlord refuses and then fetches the Bailli (bailiff) to make a complaint. The Bailli wants Guignol arrested and calls two Cavaliers (Knights) to help him. Guignol drives the three of them out by handing them blows with a stick.

Glove-puppet

Not specified

Vuillerme-Dunand Victor-Napoléon

France

Paris

Manuscript

Neighbourhood

Joke

Revenge

Expulsion

Relocation

Arrest

Comical

Farcical

Les Locataires, manuscript given to the censure authorities, 1866.

French

Guignol

Landlord

Baroness

Knight

Marquis

Story

Apparition

Argument

Fight

Blow-with-a-stick

Les Locataires

The Tenants

M. Prudhomme is the owner of a village called Terrevieille (Oldland) where he lives with his faithful servant Gazette and his neighbour Annexmann. One day, Gazette advises him to build walls around his garden and to arm the inhabitants of his land because other peasants are equipped with stakes. M. Prudhomme commands her to find out the culprit, and Gazette leaves, seeking information. Meanwhile Annexmann arrives to discuss a neighbour called Danois (Danish) and a parcel which used to belong to his ancestors. Fearing a conflict, M. Prudhomme decides to dig ditches and to arm his people. Shortly after, Gazette comes back and informs her master that Annexmann’s men are carrying sticks with a needle on top whilst M. Prudhomme’s men have Chassepot rifles. During the conversation, we learn of a new problem: a certain Victor had promised to respect the presbytery of the village’s vicar that is located in his orchards. However, Victor is now threatening to evict the vicar from his land. M. Prudhomme is outraged by this situation and, with Gazette, decides to defend the vicar’s house. In return for her precious help, Gazette asks M. Prudhomme for a very special reward: freedom.