Grand Guignol: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
imported>WeyerStudentOfAgrippa Changing short description from "Theatre in the Pigalle area of Paris" to "1897–1962 theatre in Paris, France" |
imported>Subonnaa This part still needs citation. |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|1897–1962 theatre in Paris, France}} | {{Short description|1897–1962 theatre in Paris, France}} | ||
{{About|the Paris theater}} | {{About|the Paris theater}} | ||
[[File:Grand-Guignol-L'homme qui a tué la mort-1928.jpg|thumb|Promotional poster for a Grand Guignol performance|upright=.8]] | [[File:Grand-Guignol-L'homme qui a tué la mort-1928.jpg|thumb|Promotional poster for a Grand Guignol performance called "The Man Who Killed Death"|upright=.8]] | ||
The '''Théâtre du Grand-Guignol''' ({{IPA|fr|lə teɑtʁ dy ɡʁɑ̃ ɡiɲɔl}}) was a theater in the [[Quartier Pigalle|Pigalle]] district of Paris (7, cité Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialized in [[Horror and terror|horror]] shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, [[Amorality|amoral]] horror entertainment, a genre popular from [[English Renaissance theatre|Elizabethan and Jacobean]] theater (for instance Shakespeare's ''[[Titus Andronicus]]'', and Webster's ''[[The Duchess of Malfi]]'' and ''[[The White Devil]]''), to today's [[splatter film]]s. | The '''Théâtre du Grand-Guignol''' ({{IPA|fr|lə teɑtʁ dy ɡʁɑ̃ ɡiɲɔl}}) was a theater in the [[Quartier Pigalle|Pigalle]] district of Paris (7, cité Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialized in [[Horror and terror|horror]] shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, [[Amorality|amoral]] horror entertainment, a genre popular from [[English Renaissance theatre|Elizabethan and Jacobean]] theater (for instance [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Titus Andronicus]]'', and [[John Webster|Webster]]'s ''[[The Duchess of Malfi]]'' and ''[[The White Devil]]''), to today's [[splatter film]]s. | ||
==Theater== | ==Theater== | ||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
* ''Un Crime dans une Maison de Fous'', by André de Lorde: Two hags in an insane asylum use scissors to blind a pretty young fellow inmate out of jealousy.<ref name=Time1947 /> | * ''Un Crime dans une Maison de Fous'', by André de Lorde: Two hags in an insane asylum use scissors to blind a pretty young fellow inmate out of jealousy.<ref name=Time1947 /> | ||
* ''L'Horrible Passion'', by André de Lorde: A nanny strangles the children in her care.<ref name=GS /> | * ''L'Horrible Passion'', by André de Lorde: A nanny strangles the children in her care.<ref name=GS /> | ||
* ''Le Baiser dans la Nuit'', by [[Maurice Level]]: A young woman visits the man whose face she horribly disfigured with acid, and he obtains his revenge.<ref>[ | * ''Le Baiser dans la Nuit'', by [[Maurice Level]]: A young woman visits the man whose face she horribly disfigured with acid, and he obtains his revenge.<ref>[https://theatredamned.blogspot.com/2010/11/violence-and-vitriol-exploring-le.html Violence and Vitriol – Exploring 'Le Baiser dans la nuit'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708065633/http://theatredamned.blogspot.com/2010/11/violence-and-vitriol-exploring-le.html |date=2011-07-08 }} Retrieved 2011-02-01.</ref> | ||
==Closure== | ==Closure== | ||
| Line 59: | Line 59: | ||
==Legacy and revivals== | ==Legacy and revivals== | ||
{{More citations needed section|date=September 2013}} | {{More citations needed section|date=September 2013}} | ||
Grand Guignol flourished briefly in London in the early 1920s under the direction of [[Jose Levy]], where it attracted the talents of [[Sybil Thorndike]], [[Noël Coward]], and [[Richard Hughes (British writer)|Richard Hughes]] (whose one-act play ''The Sisters' Tragedy'' was said to outshine even Coward's),<ref>[ | Grand Guignol flourished briefly in London in the early 1920s under the direction of [[Jose Levy]], where it attracted the talents of [[Sybil Thorndike]], [[Noël Coward]], and [[Richard Hughes (British writer)|Richard Hughes]] (whose one-act play ''The Sisters' Tragedy'' was said to outshine even Coward's),<ref>[https://theatredamned.blogspot.com/2011/01/dame-sybil-thorndike-londons-queen-of.html Dame Sybil Thorndike – London's Queen of Screams] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708065656/http://theatredamned.blogspot.com/2011/01/dame-sybil-thorndike-londons-queen-of.html |date=2011-07-08 }} Retrieved 2011-17-01.</ref> and a series of short English "Grand Guignol" films (using original screenplays, not play adaptations) was made at the same time, directed by [[Fred Paul]]. Several of the films exist at the [[BFI National Archive]]. | ||
The Grand Guignol was revived once again in London in 1945, under the direction of Frederick Witney, where it ran for two seasons at the Granville Theater. These included premiers of Witney's own work as well as adaptations of French originals.<ref>[ | The Grand Guignol was revived once again in London in 1945, under the direction of Frederick Witney, where it ran for two seasons at the Granville Theater. These included premiers of Witney's own work as well as adaptations of French originals.<ref>[https://theatredamned.blogspot.com/2010/10/fredrick-witney-forgotten-legend-of.html Fredrick Witney – A forgotten legend of the Grand Guignol] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708065512/http://theatredamned.blogspot.com/2010/10/fredrick-witney-forgotten-legend-of.html |date=2011-07-08 }} Retrieved 2011-02-01.</ref> | ||
In 2010, English director- | In 2010, English director-write [[Richard Mazda]] re-introduced New York audiences to the Grand Guignol. His acting troupe, The Queens Players, did six mainstage productions of Grand Guignol plays, and Mazda wrote new plays in the classic Guignol style. The sixth production, ''Theater of Fear'', included De Lorde's adaptation of Poe's ''[[The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether]]'' (''Le Systéme du Dr Goudron et Pr Plume'') as well as two original plays, ''Double Crossed'' and ''The Good Death'' alongside ''[[The Tell-Tale Heart|The Tell Tale Heart]]''. | ||
The 1963 [[mondo film]] ''Ecco'' (Original title: ''Il mondo di notte numero 3'', directed by | The 1963 [[mondo film]] ''Ecco'' (Original title: ''Il mondo di notte numero 3'', directed by | ||
| Line 70: | Line 70: | ||
The Swiss theater company Compagnie Pied de Biche has revisited the Grand Guignol genre in contemporary contexts since 2008. The company staged in 2010 a diptych ''Impact & Dr. Incubis'', based on original texts by Nicolas Yazgi and directed by Frédéric Ozier.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.pied-de-biche.ch/pied-de-biche/compagnie/frederic-ozier.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131002044609/http://www.pied-de-biche.ch/pied-de-biche/compagnie/frederic-ozier.html| archive-date = 2013-10-02| title = Frederic Ozier - Compagnie Pied de Biche}}</ref> More than literal adaptations, the plays address violence, death, crime and fear in contemporary contexts, while revisiting many trope of the original Grand Guignol corpus, often with humor. | The Swiss theater company Compagnie Pied de Biche has revisited the Grand Guignol genre in contemporary contexts since 2008. The company staged in 2010 a diptych ''Impact & Dr. Incubis'', based on original texts by Nicolas Yazgi and directed by Frédéric Ozier.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.pied-de-biche.ch/pied-de-biche/compagnie/frederic-ozier.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131002044609/http://www.pied-de-biche.ch/pied-de-biche/compagnie/frederic-ozier.html| archive-date = 2013-10-02| title = Frederic Ozier - Compagnie Pied de Biche}}</ref> More than literal adaptations, the plays address violence, death, crime and fear in contemporary contexts, while revisiting many trope of the original Grand Guignol corpus, often with humor. | ||
The recently formed London-based Grand Guignol company Theatre of the Damned, brought their first production to the [[Camden Fringe]] in 2010 and produced the award nominated ''Grand Guignol'' in November of that year.<ref>[ | The recently formed London-based Grand Guignol company Theatre of the Damned, brought their first production to the [[Camden Fringe]] in 2010 and produced the award nominated ''Grand Guignol'' in November of that year.<ref>[https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/its-a-scream-theatre-of-the-macabre-is-a-runaway-hit-6544649.html It's a scream: theatre of the macabre is a runaway hit] ''London Evening Standard'' Retrieved 2011-01-02.</ref> In 2011, they staged ''Revenge of the Grand Guignol'' at the [[Courtyard Theatre, London|Courtyard theater, London]], as part of the London Horror Festival.<ref>{{cite web|title=Revenge of the Grand Guignol – The Courtyard|url=http://www.thecourtyard.org.uk/whatson/184/revenge-of-the-grand-guignol|website=thecourtyard.org.uk|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=18 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018235621/http://www.thecourtyard.org.uk/whatson/184/revenge-of-the-grand-guignol|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
Between 2011 and 2016, the Baltimore-based Yellow Sign Theater performed Grand Guignol productions (including a heavily updated version of ''Le Systéme du Dr Goudron et Pr Plume'') as well as integrating Guignol elements into other performance forms.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} | Between 2011 and 2016, the Baltimore-based Yellow Sign Theater performed Grand Guignol productions (including a heavily updated version of ''Le Systéme du Dr Goudron et Pr Plume'') as well as integrating Guignol elements into other performance forms.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} | ||
In November 2014, 86 years after the last show of Alfredo Sainati's ''La Compagnia del Grand-Guignol'', founded in 1908 and which had been the only example of Grand Guignol in Italy, the Convivio d'Arte Company presented in Milan ''Grand Guignol de Milan: Le Cabaret des Vampires''. The show was an original tribute to Grand Guignol, a horror vaudeville with various horror and grotesque performances such as monologues, live music and burlesque, with a satirical black humor conduction.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} | In November 2014, 86 years after the last show{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} of Alfredo Sainati's ''La Compagnia del Grand-Guignol'', founded in 1908<ref>{{Cite web |last=Editore |first=Mame |date=2016-08-04 |title=Starace-Sainati |url=https://spettacolo.mam-e.it/starace-sainati/ |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=MAM-e |language=it-IT}}</ref> and which had been the only example of Grand Guignol in Italy, the Convivio d'Arte Company presented in Milan ''Grand Guignol de Milan: Le Cabaret des Vampires''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cecchelli |first=Luca |date=2025-01-14 |title=Gianfilippo Falsina e la riscoperta del Grand Guignol |url=https://quattromilano.it/2025/01/14/gianfilippo-falsina-riscoperta-grand-guignol/ |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=Quattro |language=it-IT}}</ref> The show was an original tribute to Grand Guignol, a horror vaudeville with various horror and grotesque performances such as monologues, live music and burlesque, with a satirical black humor conduction.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} | ||
Since 2022 Yorkshire-based theater company Contortium have been touring ''Tales of the Bizarre'', a modern revival of the Grand Guignol, presenting a mixture of new pieces by various writers, and adapted originals. | Since 2022 Yorkshire-based theater company Contortium have been touring ''Tales of the Bizarre'', a modern revival of the Grand Guignol, presenting a mixture of new pieces by various writers, and adapted originals. | ||