Saturday, February 13, 2010

Puppets Show!


A lot of big public gardens in France have a Puppets show. No miss Piggy, nor Kermit in there, but Guignol, a on Wikipedia)! Almost all French kids have attended a Guignol show at least once in their life ;-) One of the main Guignol Theater in Paris is located in the Luxembourg Gardens. And don't go thinking that there is no performance during winter... The theater is heated and there are performances on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays (more - in French - here).

20 comments:

  1. I love to watch these whenever I am i Paris. They're so good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This photo goes into my PDP Top 10! I feel like I am right there, peering through the gate.

    I've never sat for a french puppet show, but I've seen them in parks in the US.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can hear the traffic on rue Auguste Comte. Well, time to BE traffic and go home. Bon weekend, all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Another addition to moi bucket liste. (No bunjee jumping of the Eiffel Tower for me)

    ReplyDelete
  5. There is something so Parisian about this photograph. For some reason, it reminds of Ludwig Bemelman's drawings for "Madeline."
    In an old house in Paris
    All covered with vines
    Lived 12 little girls
    in two straight lines
    and the youngest of these
    was Madeline.
    Thinking about it now, I believe this was the start of my Paris love.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Do many brave souls venture out in the cold to see the puppet show? If I could I would, but maybe you should . . . for me. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Eric,
    You know as many times as I've visited Luxembourg Gardens, with and without grandchildren, I have never seen the marionettes!! WHAT?? Oh well, then I must come back to Paris and do that! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Forget the 'Dan Brown/ Da Vinci Code' tours - I think that there's an emerging market for the Eric Tenin/ PDP tours of Paris! We each seem to have our list of PDP favourites to visit 'next time'.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It looks very dramatic with the black of the railings and the white of the snow. Even the Guignol looks a little bit menacing but like other have said think I will add it to my to do list.

    The puppet show we grow up within England is Punch and Judy ( not sure if it is just an English tradition) but it has recently had to become more politicaly correct as Mr Puch used to beat his wife with a stick and if I remember rightly then threw the baby out of the tent.
    "that's the way to do it"

    ReplyDelete
  10. How it is strongly expressed in this picture, Eric, that you would love this barrier were open and went running through this snowed path, don't you! At least, I agree!!! With the exhiliration that children have when they are excited to do or see something, I would run to the puppets theater, as fast as I could. I love our 'marionnettes' but like Virginia, I still never went and saw these puppets in the Luxembourg gardens. Shall I go there on my own then...as my big children are unfair and don't want to go with me ?! Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, I just passed your blog. A few days ago I asked me why I never hit a French blog. Now it happened. I'm German so my English is maybe German.

    Stefanie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Somehow this scene reminds me of C.S. Lewis' Narnia.

    ReplyDelete
  13. 3 years ago I took my grandsons, aged 6 & 11, to Paris. One of the things they loved was seeing the puppet show. They did not understand the language, but it did not stop them from laughing and having a wonderful time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, excellent shot and a good opportunity to see puppets. Just back home, a bit cold but tha's normal in winter, need to eat and after that to park my car. Then, I'll be ready to watch a puppet show at tv and sleep tight ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I just watched The 400 Blows a couple weeks ago, and seeing children enjoying one of these shows back in the 50s in the film was a real treat.
    Eric, I hope you will put this shot in your calendar next year. It is really WONDERFUL.
    Thank you also, for the information that the theater is heated in winter. My husband used to carve marionette's and hand puppets, and we've attended many puppet theater productions from several traditions around the world. European puppet theater has a long and rich tradition, so it is good to know performing puppeteers are bringing the riches to the public regularly.
    -Kim

    ReplyDelete
  16. awww, they're still doing it!! I was wondering about that.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I like the way the photo looks like it's b & w except for the faint hint of color on the sign.
    ...and I will try to see the show next time I'm in Paris.

    --Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete