A Stranger discovers the body of a drowned young girl. Accompanied by an Old Man, he observes by a lighted window the quiet life of the family to which he has to tell the news to as as the procession carrying the drowned girl's body is getting closer.

Not specified

Maeterlinck Maurice

Belgium

Ghent

France

Paris

Printed

Death

Drowning

Silence

Procession

Family

Pity

Check up on

Bad news

Dramatic

Tragic

French

Old man

Foreigner

Petite-fille

Peasant

Crowd

Father

Mother

Daughter

Child

Offstage

Teichoscopy

Silent play

Intérieur

Interior

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

Debt

Bad husband

Devil

False friend

Robber

Burglar

Murderer

Accident

Ambush

Retribution

Repentance

Melodramatic

Didactic

Cover page of Henry de Graffigny's Guignol Apache

Mélodrame en cinq actes

Guignol

Painter

Lover

Baron

Valet de chambre

Domestic servant

Guignol’s wife

Madelon

Guignol’s daughter

Mrs  Gribiche

Constable

Executioner

Chase

Blow-with-a-stick

Domestic scene

Aside

Off-stage noise

Gunshot

Monologue

Hanging scene

Scene of torture

Fake death

Murder on stage

Death on stage

Guignol apache

Joseph is in love with Mary, but she rejects his clumsy advances. Tchantchès tries in vain to help Joseph. The archangel Gabriel appears to Mary and asks her to go back on her decision. He announces that she will have son and that she will have to call him Jesus. Then Gabriel appears to Joseph and reassures him: he will not be rejected this time. Mary and Joseph leave together for Bethlehem. The journey is a long one, the due date is approaching, and Joseph is looking for a place to rest. Pierre (Peter), the owner of a restaurant, offers them to stay in the old stable behind his establishment. They gladly accept. Three Magi present themselves at Herod’s court: they have heard that the King of the Jews is born and are looking to bring him gifts. Jesus is born in the stable. Tchantchès and Nanesse congratulate the parents. The Magi bring him their presents. Later, Joseph learns about the emperor’s order – all the children under two will be killed. He is scared, but Tchantchès promises to help him. While Joseph and Mary are getting ready to flee, Tchantchès fights the knight who has come to kill Jesus and triumphs over him. Joseph and Marie leave for Egypt with their son.