Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell
Encyclopedia
The Théâtre du Gymnase or Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell, is a theatre in Paris
, at 38, boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle in the 10th arrondissement (métro : Bonne Nouvelle
).
, the théâtre du Gymnase came to serve as a training-theatre for students of the conservatoire, where they could appear solely in one act plays or adaptations of longer plays into one act plays.
Poirson quickly added two act plays to the theatre's repertoire, then 3 act plays, and drew up an exclusive contract with Eugène Scribe
to supply them. He installed gas lighting in 1823 and, with the permission of the duchesse de Berry, the theatre was in 1824 granted the title of théâtre de Madame.
Closed for renovation in 1830, the theatre reopened after the July Revolution
under the name Gymnase Dramatique.
In 1844, Montigny
took over as director of the theatre, and to attract a wider audience slightly abandoned the moral and edifying pieces the theatre had previously specialised in, in favour of the then-fashionable sentimental genre, with its "compromising situations, cold turpitudes, calculated affronts, sobs and agonies". The theatre's playwrights included Balzac
, Émile Augier
, Georges Sand, Edmond About, Victorien Sardou
, Octave Feuillet
, Meilhac
and Halévy
, and Alexandre Dumas (both father
and son
).
In 1926, the playwright Henry Bernstein became this theatre's director and used it to put on his most famous works - Samson, La Rafaie, La Galerie des Glaces, Mélo
, Le Bonheur and Le Messager.
Then, from 1939, the Gymnase allowed productions of several works by Marcel Pagnol
, Jean Cocteau
, Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon
, Sacha Guitry
, Félicien Marceau
and Jean Genet
. The tragic actress Marie Bell
took over as the theatre's director in 1962, and starred in a particularly famous production of Racine's Phèdre
there.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, at 38, boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle in the 10th arrondissement (métro : Bonne Nouvelle
Bonne Nouvelle (Paris Metro)
Bonne Nouvelle is a station on lines 8 and 9 of the Paris Métro. The section of lines 8 and 9 from just east of Richelieu - Drouot to west of République was built under the Grand Boulevards, which replaced the Louis XIII wall and is in soft ground, which was once the course of the Seine. The lines...
).
History
Inaugurated on 23 December 1820 by Delestre-PoirsonCharles-Gaspard Delestre-Poirson
Charles-Gaspard Delestre-Poirson Auguste-Simon-Jean-Chrysostome Poirson, known as Delestre-Poirson was a French playwright and theatre director....
, the théâtre du Gymnase came to serve as a training-theatre for students of the conservatoire, where they could appear solely in one act plays or adaptations of longer plays into one act plays.
Poirson quickly added two act plays to the theatre's repertoire, then 3 act plays, and drew up an exclusive contract with Eugène Scribe
Eugène Scribe
Augustin Eugène Scribe , was a French dramatist and librettist. He is best known for the perfection of the so-called "well-made play" . This dramatic formula was a mainstay of popular theater for over 100 years.-Biography:...
to supply them. He installed gas lighting in 1823 and, with the permission of the duchesse de Berry, the theatre was in 1824 granted the title of théâtre de Madame.
Closed for renovation in 1830, the theatre reopened after the July Revolution
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
under the name Gymnase Dramatique.
In 1844, Montigny
Adolphe Lemoine
Adolphe Lemoine, known as Lemoine-Montigny or Montigny, was a French comédien and playwright. He was also the director of the Théâtre du Gymnase....
took over as director of the theatre, and to attract a wider audience slightly abandoned the moral and edifying pieces the theatre had previously specialised in, in favour of the then-fashionable sentimental genre, with its "compromising situations, cold turpitudes, calculated affronts, sobs and agonies". The theatre's playwrights included Balzac
Honoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories and novels collectively entitled La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the 1815 fall of Napoleon....
, Émile Augier
Émile Augier
Guillaume Victor Émile Augier was a French dramatist. He was the thirteenth member to occupy seat 1 of the Académie française on 31 March 1857.-Biography:...
, Georges Sand, Edmond About, Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play...
, Octave Feuillet
Octave Feuillet
Octave Feuillet was a French novelist and dramatist.- Overview :Octave Feuillet was born at Saint-Lô, Manche . His father Jacques Feuillet was a prominent lawyer and Secretary-General of La Manche, but also a hypersensitive invalid. His mother died when he was an infant...
, Meilhac
Henri Meilhac
Henri Meilhac , was a French dramatist and opera librettist.-Biography:Meilhac was born in Paris in 1831. As a young man, he began writing fanciful articles for Parisian newspapers and vaudevilles, in a vivacious boulevardier spirit which brought him to the forefront...
and Halévy
Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy was a French author and playwright. He was half Jewish : his Jewish father had converted to Christianity prior to his birth, to marry his mother, née Alexandrine Lebas.-Biography:Ludovic Halévy was born in Paris...
, and Alexandre Dumas (both father
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
and son
Alexandre Dumas, fils
Alexandre Dumas, fils was a French author and dramatist. He was the son of Alexandre Dumas, père, also a writer and playwright.-Biography:...
).
In 1926, the playwright Henry Bernstein became this theatre's director and used it to put on his most famous works - Samson, La Rafaie, La Galerie des Glaces, Mélo
Mélo
Mélo is a 1929 play by Henri Bernstein.It was first filmed in 1932 by Paul Czinner.The better-known 1986 French film based on the play was directed by Alain Resnais, and starred Fanny Ardant, André Dussollier, Sabine Azéma and Pierre Arditi...
, Le Bonheur and Le Messager.
Then, from 1939, the Gymnase allowed productions of several works by Marcel Pagnol
Marcel Pagnol
Marcel Pagnol was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. In 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the Académie Française.-Biography:...
, Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
, Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon
Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon
Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon was a French film director, script-writer, playwright and author.After studying law, he was made chief editor of the daily newspaper Sud-Est...
, Sacha Guitry
Sacha Guitry
Alexandre-Pierre Georges Guitry was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the Boulevard theatre.- Biography :...
, Félicien Marceau
Félicien Marceau
Félicien Marceau is the pen name of Louis Carette a French novelist, playwright and essayist originally from Belgium. He was close to the Hussards right-wing literary movement, itself close to the monarchist .He received the Prix Goncourt for his book Creezy in 1969...
and Jean Genet
Jean Genet
Jean Genet was a prominent and controversial French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but later took to writing...
. The tragic actress Marie Bell
Marie Bell
Marie Bell , born Marie-Jeanne Bellon, was a French tragedian, comic actor and stage director. She was the director of the Théâtre du Gymnase in Paris from 1962 onwards, and this theatre now bears her name....
took over as the theatre's director in 1962, and starred in a particularly famous production of Racine's Phèdre
Phèdre
Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677.-Composition and premiere:...
there.