Théâtre Molière (Paris)

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Historical shot of the Molière passage as seen from Rue Saint-Martin
View into the Molière passage towards the Maison de la poésie

The Théâtre Molière is a former theater at 157 rue Saint-Martin , in the 3rd arrondissement in Paris. Access was via the Passage Molière , then Passage Nourrices , which leads from Rue Saint-Martin to Rue Quincampoix. Today the Maison de la poésie is located there .

history

The theater was built in a very short time by Jean-François Boursault-Malherbe in 1791 . There was a façade facing Rue Saint Martin, but no entrance. This was on the side, facing the passage. In addition to the parquet, the auditorium had three rows one on top of the other with boxes, an orchestra pit and all other facilities required for a theater, such as sanitary rooms or cloakrooms for the artists. There was a second exit to Rue Quincampoix.

In the same year the theater was opened under the direction of Boursault-Malherbes. The program consisted of patriotic revolutionary pieces , such as La ligue des fanatiques et des tyrans by Charles Philippe Ronsin . The first year was marked by success and in order to appear even more patriotic, the theater got the addition Théâtre national de Molière . At the beginning of the reign of terror , Boursault-Malherbe had handed over the management of the theater to Plancher-Valcour , many theaters in Paris changed their names and took on names contrary to the bourgeoisie . This is how the Molière got the name Théâtre Sans-Culottes .

After the end of the reign of terror, however, the name of the house was immediately changed back to Théâtre Molière. There were vaudevilles, dramas and comedies. In 1800 the theater management changed again, which was also associated with a name change, but without changing the program direction. Until the house was closed in 1807, by Napoleonic theater decree , the house was known as Variétés nationales et étrangéres .

The theater shared its fate with the many other theaters that were no longer allowed to be used. There were physical demonstrations, public target practice, concerts and balls, and banquets for Freemasons. During this time some renaming took place.

In 1831 a Monsieur Lemétayer set about reopening the house as Théâtre Molière. The part of the building facing Rue Saint-Martin had meanwhile disappeared and a residential building was built on it. The hall itself was restored, but the entrance was now on Rue Quincampoix and was uninviting. The actors were often laypeople or debutants, but some of them such as Agar or Rachel were considered to be the greatest actresses of their time. The less successful venture ended with the final closure in 1833.

present

Pierre Seghers had the idea to create a place of poetry where readings and performances should be given. So the city of Paris founded an association in 1983, which was also financially supported by it. The first location of the Maison de la poésie was in the Forum des Halles , whose central courtyard was also to be called that. In 1995, the decision was made to relocate the Maison de la poésie to the remaining rooms of the Théâtre Molière on Rue Quincampoix. Since then there has been a library and exhibition rooms there. A restaurant is also attached to the whole. However, the address has remained unchanged since it was first founded in 1791, Rue Saint-Martin 157.

Web links

literature

Coordinates: 48 ° 51 '44.8 "  N , 2 ° 21' 5.3"  E