Grand Guignol -
Theatre of Horror
October 24-30 @ 7 & 9 PM
October 31 show at 7 PM only
$13
Black Cat Ball
Friday, October 31st @ 9 PM
$20
Le Theatre de Grand Guignol
In the tradition of Le Theatre de Grand Guignol, the French theatre of horror, Le Chat will be performing a collection of 3 shorts.
"Final Kiss" written by Maurice Level
and directed by Rhiannon Martin is a Grand Guignol original. An endearing story
of the disfigured Henri who seeks to reconcile with his estranged fiancé.
"The Gideon," written by Duane Brown specifically for this production and directed by Krys Bailey, is a story of a desperate man at wit's end who gives a hand to an unexpected visitor.
The last of these shorts is "The
System of Dr. Goudron and Professor Plume," another Grand Guignol original,
written by Andre' de Lorde and directed by Gary
Dennis. A curious journalist
writing a story for a medical journal seeks to interview the accomplished but
slightly eccentric director of an asylum.
This show contains graphic violence and gratuitous gore. Not recommended for people with heart problems, sensitive digestion, and/or incontinence.
THE BLACK CAT BALL
Asylum
The theme for Le Chat Noir's first annual Halloween costume party will echo our October production of Grand Guignol. Come as an asylum staff/patient, your favorite psycho, madman, victim, etc.
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Where: Le Chat Noir, of course When: October 31, 2008 @ 9p - until Victuals: Light hors douvres |
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Libations: FREE Medicinal Punch, "Shots," Coffee and Tea service; PLUS drink specials $2 beer, $3 wine, and $4 mixed drinks
How Much: $20; OR $17 with Grand Guignol ticket. Limited number of guests allowed, so get your invitation early.
Costumes: NOT REQUIRED, BUT PREFERRED; prizes will be given for the following categories - Darwin Award (best victim), Hackademy Award (best psycho), Malpractice suit (best asylum)
As used today, the term 'Grand Guignol' (pronounced Grahn Geen-yol') refers to any dramatic entertainment that deals with macabre subject matter and features “over-the-top” graphic violence. It is derived from Le Theatre du Grand Guignol, the name of the Parisian theatre that horrified audiences for over sixty years. The theatre was founded in 1897 by Oscar Metenier as an extension of the naturalist movement, which had been popularized by André Antoine's Theatre Libre. A typical evening at the Grand Guignol Theatre might consist of five or six short plays, ranging from suspenseful crime dramas to bawdy sex farces. But the staple of the Grand Guignol repertoire was the horror play, which inevitably featured eye-gouging, throat-slashing, acid-throwing, or some other equally grisly climax. Over the years, and under the direction of several different managers, the Grand Guignol theatre flourished, becoming one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris. By the early 1960’s, however, the Grand Guignol’s formula no longer had the same impact with audiences, and in 1962, it closed its doors. Despite the fact that the Grand Guignol has fallen into relative obscurity, it has had a profound influence on the art of horror performance and special effects. [Information provided by grandguignol.com]
