The protagonist, Pigoil, is accused of murder. He is the aging stage manager at Chansonia, a music hall in a Paris suburb. In a confession told as a long flashback, we see that on New Year's Eve, 1935, Pigoil discovers his wife's infidelity and Galapiat, a local gangster, closes down the music hall. Over the next few months, Pigoil loses custody of his beloved son, Jo-Jo, and is forced to find work. With the help of his friends, Pigoil takes over Chansonia as a cooperative and Galapiat appears to be on good behavior. The star of the show is a young woman named Douce, who hails from near Lille and captures Galapiat's desires. Douce falls in love with Milou, a local socialist, and their relationship experiences both good and bad times. The story raises questions about what happens to Jo-Jo and the resolution of the murder case.