Sir William comes to Guignol to suggest that he and Gnafron go sell pills and polish in Africa. The pills would whiten black people’s skins, and the polish would keep intact the skin colour of everyone who would like to stay black. The two friends accept, unaware that the commercial journey is a cover for the true mission, which is to stop captain Marchand from reaching Fashoda. They are joined by doctor Béziclier, who studies races, and his daughter Luce. In Africa, Gnafron’s business is not going well—nobody wants to buy the pills. On the other hand, Guignol’s polish sells very well. Guignol and Luce are in love, but Béziclier has already promised his daughter to their guide Friponi, who actually works for the British. Yet, the Italian man does not love Luce, who is only a means to his ends. With the help of Bétéké and his companions, he kidnaps Luce and Naora, the slave who travels with her. Friponi then brings the bad news to the doctor and to Guignol and Gnafron, and then goes to the two women’s “rescue”. He makes Korouto, the king of Bangala, believe that the French plan to “slaughter everyone and wipe everything out” and that he himself – Friponi – can prevent that from happening. To do so, he will need Korouto’s army, which the king agrees to lend him. Because the Italian does not need Luce, the king suggests that she be proposed to Joudochik, the king of a neighbouring land. Naora is in fact Korouto’s daughter. She explains to her father that the French have come to trade – not to wage war – and that Friponi is the real villain. The king understands that he was mistaken and decides to help the French find Luce. Joudochik is willing to give Luce back to Guignol, if she does not curse him. Luce agrees and promises him prosperity instead. Friponi understands that he has to stop the French on his own, and so he sets the forest on fire. Guignol and Gnafron catch and then kill him. Guignol and his friends arrive at Fashoda and befriend the Mahdi – the leader of the Soudanese people. Major Marchand announces that the Congo-Nile road has been drawn. Sirdar Kitchener, an English officer, contests it: Khartoum and Fashoda are theirs. The Major says that his soldiers would rather die than retreat, so the English pulls back in the end. The French have won Fashoda.

Glove-puppet

Not specified

France

Lyon

Manuscript

Raciology

Racism

Slavery

Homeland

Woman doctor

Trade

Kidnapping

Colonialism

Africa

Comical

Tony Tardy, Guignol à Fachoda (title page)

French

Guignol

Gnafron

Italian

Traitor

Doctor

Prussian

English man

Colonel

King

African

Counselor

Sudanese

Commanding officer

Jean-Baptiste Marchand

Lieutenant

Officer

Horatio Herbert Kitchener

Rifleman

Senegalese

Slave

Peuples noirs de l'Oubanghui et du Soudan

Versified passages

Off-stage voice

Comical foreign accent

Song

Final song

Apotheosis

Guignol à Fachoda

Guignol at Fashoda

Gnafron is crippled with debts. He leaves France for Morocco with Guignol, but they board on a military ship and so the both of them become soldiers. After realising what their new “job” is, they land in Morocco as sentries. While keeping watch, Gnafron and Guignol meet the Qaid’s daughter, Ziléna. Guignol falls in love with the beautiful Muslim woman before even having seen her face – since he needs her father’s permission to do so. Guignol suggests that Gnafron replaces the muezzin’s donkey. He argues that when Ahmed – the muezzin – sees that his donkey has been changed into a man, he will interpret it as a miracle and take Gnafron to the Qaid. Gnafron would then be able to plan Guignol’s arrival. Guignol’s plan works: Ahmed and the Qaid believe in a miracle. He wants to know why “the donkey” took the shape of a French soldier. Gnafron explains that, for a brief period of time, the donkey worked for the French. The Qaid asks Gnafron whether he remembers the French manoeuvres and if he could teach them to his soldiers. Gnafron becomes the general of the Moroccans. In the meantime, Guignol arrives at the palace dressed in Moroccan fashion. He reunites with Ziléma, who agrees to marry him. Guignol warns the Qaid that the Zouaves are close by. The Qaid is distressed as he cannot find his daughter Ziléma. Guignol assures him that she will reappear. The Qaid promises to make him “the greatest Mufti of Islam” if the miracle takes place. At this exact moment, Ziléma unveils her face. The Qaid is overwhelmed with joy, and Guignol takes advantage of his emotion to ask for his approval to marry Ziléma. The Qaid agrees and promises to give Gnafron “a big “negress” of Beaujolais” – one possible meaning of “negress” in French being a bottle. When the Zouaves reaches the town, Guignol introduces himself as the sultan of Casbach. He allows them to enter the town and tells the Qaid that it is a day to celebrate. Gnafron is the only unhappy character at the end, as he is given a real “negress” instead of a bottle of Beaujolais.