Grand Guignol literally means "big puppet" which took its name from the popular puppet character Guignol of the French Punch & Judy shows.

The Theatre du Grand-Guignol in Paris (1897-1962) achieved a legendary reputation as the “Theatre of Laughter and Terror,” a venue displaying such explicit violence and blood-curdling terror that a resident doctor was employed to treat the numerous spectators who fainted each night. A performance at the Grand-Guignol strove to terrify and titillate the spectator through a mixture of horror, laughter and the erotic. A typical evening’s entertainment reveals the sophisticated exploitation of the contemporary audience’s fears, taboos and desires. The plays of the Grand-Guignol inevitably featured eye-gouging, throat-slashing, acid-throwing, or some other equally grisly climax.

An evening consisted of 5-6 short plays that alternated between horror and comedic satire. The Grand Guignol became a precurser of film noir and the horror film genre. The theatre was also known for its innovative special effects.

See www.grandguignol.com for more information.