Theatre of Fear & Horror: The Grisly Spectacle of the Grand Guignol of Paris, 1897-1962

by Mel Gordon

"Bloodcurdling shrieks, fiendish schemes, deeds of darkness, mayhem and mutilation—we all have a rough idea of what Grand Guignol stands for. But until now it has been hard to find out much more about it than that. According to the American theater historian Mel Gordon, no major history of the theater so much as mentions it, although it is a form of entertainment that held its own on the Paris stage for more than half a century. But Mr. Gordon has made a thorough job of filling the gap."—John Gross, The New York Times Here is the expanded edition of classic outré book, The Grand Guignol , first published in 1988 and now long out of print. Like the original anthology, it includes an illustrated introduction to the theater of Paris and abroad, a breakdown of its stage tricks, a summary of one hundred plots, extensive photo documentation, André de Lord's essay, "Fear in Literature," and two originally produced Grand Guignol scripts. The expanded edition also contains additional graphic and textual material including a color insert of Grand Guignol posters; the 1938 autobiographical account of Maxa, the company's leading female performer entitled "I Am the Maddest Woman in the World"; and the controversial playscript Orgy in the Lighthouse .

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Horror, Theatre, France, Plays

220 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2016

Reviews

[Carla Remy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guignol is a puppet, a character in Punch and Judy type plays. The name, in France, apparently came to stand for puppet shows in general, so Grand Guignol literally means Big Puppetshow. I loved the history of horror, through early humanity. I was curious about the Grand Guignol's famous violent effects, but it is basically what you'd think, sleight of hand and fake blood. It does sound pretty amazing. A horror movie live on the stage.

[Jim Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had originally wanted to read THEATRE OF FEAR & HORROR: THE GRISLY SPECTACLE OF THE GRAND GUIGNOL OF PARIS, 1897 - 1962 as something of a "primer." For some time, I've had a dream project of writing a stage play for community theaters and colleges that allowed audiences to "participate" in ghostly happenings. As I've finally settled down into "Figure this out or move on" mode, I was curious about how horrific occurrences had been achieved for the stage in other productions. The Grand Guignol Theatre in Paris is likely the most famous example.

While I found the book to be delightfully informative, it was also a fascinating read in its own right. Jammed full of photographs, illustrations, and even including the text of two plays that had been presented there, I was intrigued by the writer's exploration into "the human psyche" and why these presentations had been so popular for so many years. After all, it wasn't merely cultish fan groups or people who had a deep need for morbid experiences who attended. People from all walks of life went to see the shows (including tourists).

As these productions gained popularity, they also had growing competition. Of course, the biggest threat came from the growth of horror movies, especially "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (which also was converted to a stage production at the Grand Guignol Theatre) and the horror classics of the 1930's (particularly the work of Tod Browning). In fact, they caused some of the stage stories to "up the ante" to portray horrific moments that the movies couldn't show. So, today's horror movie fans might well have been enthusiastic patrons of these works.

Something similar could be said about the porn industry. The notorious "French postcards" sold in wrapped paper could spring to life on the stage. While these weren't "sex shows," there was nudity. The best comparison that I might draw was the appeal of "Behind The Green Door" in the 1970's. And again, the audience wasn't comprised of "sexual perverts," but people who wanted to explore a curiosity about forbidden topics.

I literally found myself slowing down my reading times because I was burning my way through this book. Indeed, even though it was of respectable length, I didn't want it to end too quickly.

I recently learned that Severin Films co-sponsored a documentary about The Grand Guignol Theatre which was part of a special event showing in California. I will absolutely be paying attention to their upcoming new releases for home media in the hopes of adding it to my collection.

[Perry Ruhland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give an arm and a leg to attend that 1925 Grand Guignol production of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have more questions than answers, after reading this book:
-Why were the French the first to embrace the novels (and make films of them) the very dark novels coming out of America in the late 1940s? They already had "Grand Guignol" theatre and wanted more perhaps?
-And why did Anne Rice's (fictional, natch) vampires use a "Grand Guignol" type theatre called "Theatres des Vampires"? So they could murder innocent victims on stage (for bloood) convincing the audience it was 'theatre'? But why not in other countries?
-Yes, WHY, I'd like to know, did "Grand Guignol" shows only work in France? Mel Gordon, the author, doesn't even know. Could it be the wars (Napolean, WW1, WW2)? Other countries faced them also.
-And why did Proust apparently never attend any of them: not a word in "In Search of Lost Time" even though half the audiences were often the upper class? Or perhaps he was ashamed to admit he went to them!
One thing is for sure: in America, every day, our news is filled with "Grand Guignol" theatre. And that, my friends, is why I never watch the news.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 5 out of 5]

2026 reads, #60. This is likely what’s going to stand for a long time as the most exhaustive book ever put together about the fabled Grand Guignol theatre company of Victorian-era Paris, by someone who’s half academic and half edgelord horror fan. It’s full of surprises, like that the Victorian period of its history is only just a few years, and that its heyday was actually much later in the 1920s and ‘30s. It actually started as an aboveboard experimental company that explored a lot of Early Modernist issues (author Mel Gordon estimates the troupe produced 1,200 plays over its 65-year history, and a lot of them featured Early Modernist trendy tropes like psychiatrists, modern surgery, hypnosis, and loose “flapper” women), but its European Expressionist production designers just went all out with the gory special effects and other over-the-top visuals, bringing together the elements for a smart but naughty subversive night out that could be enjoyed by both the intellectuals and the hoi polloi. (Interestingly, when they first started having serious financial problems in the years after World War Two, the theatre people there at the time blamed the real-life horrors of the Nazi years, now seen every week in newsreels.)

The history itself here in this book is perhaps not that much better than a particularly long Wikipedia page on the subject; but Gordon also pairs that with paragraph-long descriptions of over 100 of the plays the company produced, along with two full-length scripts. (They’re freaking amazing; well worth slowing down and reading them in full.) Most importantly, though, all this is paired with hundreds and hundreds of images, including a full-color spread in the middle of the book. A great gift idea for the person in your life who’s into all this macabre, goth stuff, they will appreciate the exhaustive approach and serious tone Gordon takes with the material here.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is divided into a few sections, so I'll briefly discuss all of them. The first section is on the history of The Grand Guignol, the French theater specializing in horror and shockers. It was an interesting enough read. One thing that stood out to me was how the Grand Guignol's success never truly took off in other countries - it was almost strictly a product of French culture. This section also covered some of the staging techniques and props the theater used. If you're interested in the history of theater, different movements, and the study of French culture, this section generously covers all of that. I also liked reading how the theater's staging conventions influenced early German Expressionist cinema and the Universal monster movies of the late 1920s and 1930s.

In the next section, Gordon gives quick summaries of 100 plays the Grand Guignol produced. They fall into three main genres - horrors, sexual farces, and more "classical" dramas. It was tedious, in spots, to read and re-read similar plays that seemed to change names and how the characters met their unfortunate fates. The farces and dramas moved quicker, though, not in part to how fewer Gordon summarized.

The next section was a translated essay by Andre de Lorde on the impact of fear in literature. I'm not one who normally enjoys reading essays for fun - I do enough of that for my day job - so I breezed through these few pages.

The one section, an essay by Maxa, one of the most famous actresses of the theater, was scanned in from a PDF. I couldn't read the text, which is a shame as I was really looking forward to seeing her thoughts on how many times she was grievously assaulted and murdered on stage.

The final two sections, which is why I bought the book in the first place, were English translations of two plays "A Crime in a Madhouse" and "Orgy in the Lighthouse." After watching the Crash Course Theater episode on The Grand Guignol, I wanted to read a script of "A Crime in a Madhouse." I knew what happened in the former, as the video covered it. The latter; however, had an ending I did not expect. With a name like "Orgy in the Lighthouse," I expected it to be one of the farces. No, it was definitely a horror play.

Again, Mel Gordon's "Theater of Fear & Horror: Expanded Edition: The Grisly Spectacle of the Grand Guignol of Paris, 1897-1962" was a good read.

[:-) · Rating 3 out of 5]

release me from the hold the Grand Guignol has on my life

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.75 of 5

I've heard of the Grand Guignol of Paris and that it was horror or even depraved theatre, but I didn't really know too much about it. It's not the sort of theatre taught in the local colleges. The sub-title, I think, really gets it right when calling it a "grisly spectacle."

Author Mel Gordon has thoroughly researched this popular French form of drama and given us a look at the performers, the stories, and the audience that is second only to having been to the Grand Guignol in person.

But what Gordon doesn't do is analyze this theatrical form and explain why it was so popular. There was a movement of Naturalism going on at the time, but France was also reeling from the violence of war. Was this a means to take out some aggression toward aggressors? Was it a means to dull the senses toward horrendous violence? Was it simply that some people respond in a positive way toward sadism?

Given the Grand Guignol's penchant for grisly spectacle, I would have really liked to have gotten more information on their tricks and techniques for their mutilation of a body and the blood they managed to spill. How long did it take to prepare and practice the physical aspects of these plays, compared with a more routine theatre rehearsal?

While we get a brief biography of the key players in the company, each of them is likely worthy of having their own biography. I definitely wanted to know more about these people. What drew them to this form of 'entertainment'?

It does feel like there's a fair amount that is NOT here in the book, that's party due to the fact that there aren't many books on this subject so when questions or interest arise while reading this, there aren't many other sources to turn to for more information. But what IS here tantalizes and informs nicely. I enjoyed reading through the synopses of the many plays in the theatre's repertoire. Some made me chuckle at what seems silly now. For instance:

NIGHT ATTACK
by ANDRÉ DE LORDE and M. MASSON-FORESTIER
A farce in two acts with the additional theme of Cuckoldry.
A woman comes to a police station late at night, distraught that her lover has just had a heart attack in bed. She asks the police chief to help move the body before her husband returns from a business trip. Since she is pretty, he agrees and they return to her home.
At the house, they attempt to move the lifeless body but the man awakens. As soon as the policeman starts to care for the sick man, the telephone rings. It is the woman’s husband calling to tell her that he will be arriving on a later train. With the approval of the woman, the officer attacks the ailing lover and drives him out of the house. The policeman takes the woman to bed.

It is a farce, so you can't expect too much plot, and it's probably not that different from many farces today. This play is from 1903!

The book is packed with photographs - not for those with a weak constitution! - often what looks like publicity photos from the time...posed pictures of someone getting an eye gouged out or a naked woman being mutilated. The book also contains two complete scripts - a two act drama, A Crime in the Madhouse or The Diabolical Ones by André de Lorde and Alfred Binet (from 1925) and a one-act drama from 1956, Orgy in the Lighthouse by Alfred Machard. Having access to these two scripts is worth the price of the book alone!

I love theatre history and this book explores a theatrical form that isn't often mentioned, yet thrived for nearly sixty years. It is well worth reading.

Looking for a good book? Theater of Fear and Horror by Mel Gordon takes a look at the Grand Guignol in France - a theatrical art form that explores the darker side of humanity. It was a highly successful venture in its time and yet most history books and theatre historians don't mention it. You should read it.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

[Mckenzie Ragan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick historical overview of a fascinating subject and time period. The late Mel Gordon’s interests as presented in his books, ranging from stage techniques to the ‘erotic world of Weimar Berlin,’ are generally noted for their deviation from orthodoxy within academic circles. I haven’t read enough to say if this is just in terms of content or something else (I would guess content). At least at the time of publication, the Grand Guignol would fit under that broad umbrella of fringe scholarship of the extreme – Feral House’s (I guess originally Amok) imprint on the spine is a sign of as much.

At its early 20th century peak, the Grand Guignol was hailed by audiences as an orgy of violence and sex. Less shocking from a 21st century perspective, it’s still far from tame taken in its historical context. Gordon approaches the topic in a well-rounded way. First, he focuses on the theatre’s history, its rise and eventual fall in the aftermath of a war that rendered all depictions of the horrific and grotesque – however realistic the artistry – dull and even childish. He then explores the influence of the Grand Guignol, its most obvious descendent today being the grindhouse/exploitation film resurgence the last few decades have seen (I don’t remember if Gordon goes into this specifically). Other sections of the book include a description of macabre (and clever) stage techniques, an essay by Andre de Lord (one of the most prolific writers of plays for the Grand Guignol), ‘100 plots from the repertoire of the Grand Guignol’ divided up by subject, as well as three scripts translated and reproduced in full.

All of this is interesting on one level or another. Twenty-first century inflation of shock value, unsurprisingly, means the primary sources are somewhat dry, more interesting as artifacts than as fear-inducing plots in themselves. They at times wander into the territory of camp. The history, though, is fascinating. The photos are amazing. By far the part I enjoyed most, though, was the article written by Maxa, one of (maybe the) the main performers at the height of the Grand Guignol’s success. She writes about her haunted past, being sexually assaulted, beaten, and cut in a brutal encounter at 15 years old. As she begins describing her experiences with the Grand Guignol, night after night raped and murdered by one new horrifically ingenious means after another, it becomes clear that her stage and real life selves have merged in a grotesque and pitiful way. She uses the words ‘madness’ and ‘sin.’ She undeniably becomes a masochist, unable to find any joy without a reciprocal misery. She would make an incredible psychological case study, and I would love to read more about her. A true artist, she gave herself entirely to her roles, only to be doomed by them – although as she tells her story, she may have been doomed long before she took to the stage. Netflix released a movie about her in September – The Most Assassinated Woman in the World. I’m curious to see it.

For whatever reason, I don’t think the Grand Guignol has made its way into our cultural collective consciousness yet. I’m sure that will change with time, and probably already has dramatically since the publication of this book. It’s a good introduction – it would be cool to see one of the best of these plays done today, not through a contemporary lens, but as true to the originals as possible. There probably are some weirdo theatre companies somewhere that have experimented with it.

[Bill Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best book in English on the Grand Guignol is even better, though far from perfect, in an edition that adds color poster plates and more photographs of the stage productions. The subject of Paris' horror theater is best approached from several sides -- in the context of social realism that birthed the playhouse, as the most visible ancestor of a genre of fiction that includes EC comics, splatter fiction, and gore movies, and as dramatic entertainment that deliberately aspired to provoke unhealthy reactions. Gordon's text does a fair job of spinning these threads but often feels cursory, as though the subject matter resists interpretation. Was the Grand Guignol gratuitously exploitative or were the bloody stage effects justified by the narrative context and the dark satiric reflection of conventional morality in a fun house mirror? You'll get no answers here.

What you will get is a wealth of loosely organized information about the theater and its plays that you won't find anywhere else. Material added to this third edition includes an amusing and somewhat insightful essay by Andre de Lorde on fear in fiction and an essay by perennial Guignol actress Maxa, reprinted from a 1930s issue of True, that reads like a parody of perverse romanticism. Two plays are also included, including the notorious "Orgy in the Lighthouse," which is a very grim affair all around. The new color illustration section is superb.

In summation, in spite of an annoying lack of organization and analytical substance, the book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the roots of horror as a genre or with a passion for the weirder corners of art and culture.

[Paul Creasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

For those who have heard of the Gran Guignol, opportunities for finding details are scarce. This book delivers such details. With amazing production stills, full plotlines and plays revealed and an incredibly detailed history, all curiosities have been answered. Give this tiny theatre's outsized influence on the culture of not only France, but all of Europe and the US, the history of the Gran Guignol should be better known. This book rectified that. I highly recommend!

[Megan Hex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll be honest; I probably would have rated this higher had I not read it on an e-ink Kindle, because I imagine the illustrations are glorious in color. That said, I wish there had been more history or more actual scripts rather than all the plot summaries. Otherwise good and informative. Now off to find more scripts in English!

[Kevin K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The section "100 Plots from the Repertoire of the Grand Guignol" was especially interesting. There's often a campy, self-conscious quality to Hollywood horror, and these plots gave me a darker feeling. Morbidity, helplessness, depressing endings. Truly grim horror.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really came in useful when I was writing my dissertation on types of Horror Theatre and then again when I wrote another specified on the Grand Guignol.

[Ian Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thorough with a hundred plots, tons of photos, two play scripts and a deep history of one of an extreme stage in theatre.