Théâtre de Guignol

The name Guignol has two very different meanings in the history of Paris. When you hear about the famous puppet shows, you are encountering a character created in the early nineteenth century by a silk weaver named Laurent Mourguet. He began his career as an itinerant street dentist, and he used these puppet performances to distract his patients from the pain of having their teeth pulled. The character of Guignol, with his wide eyes and button nose, was designed to represent the common working man, offering sharp, satirical commentary on the authorities and local news of the day.