Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf, located in the Norman city of Elbeuf, is an iconic building built in the late 19th century. Inaugurated in 1892, it is the work of the local architects Laquerrière father and son, as well as the entrepreneur Henry Blanchet. Originally, this multi-purpose venue could accommodate up to 2,200 spectators and housed stables for 35 horses, as well as ancillary areas such as a café-buvette and lodges. Its structure in cast iron and iron, covered with a dome of 28 meters, makes it a rare example of fixed circus in France, combining a circular track and a theatre scene with Italian.

Transformed into a cinema in 1942, the building changed its vocation after its acquisition by the city of Elbeuf in 1957. It then houses the House of Unions, Veterans Affairs, and a gym. Despite these changes, its heritage importance was recognized in 1998 by its listing in the Historic Monuments. After a major restoration completed in 2007, at a cost of 10 million euros, the Cirque-theatre regains its original function as a showroom, with a capacity reduced to 900 places.

Today labeled Circus National Pole (PNC), the Cirque-Théâtre d'Elbeuf is a dynamic cultural place, offering about 80 annual performances and attracting more than 20,000 spectators per season. It is distinguished by its octagonal architecture and its double stage space, unique among the eight fixed circuses still visible in France. Since 2015, he has been headed by Yveline Rapeau, who has also initiated a collaboration with another Norman PNC, La Brêche in Cherbourg-Octeville, to pool resources while preserving the identity of each place.

The history of the Circus Theatre reflects the cultural and urban evolutions of Elbeuf, moving from a popular place of entertainment to municipal equipment, before being reborn as a major artistic pole. Its architecture, marked by the use of iron and cast iron, bears witness to the technical innovations of the late 19th century. The 2007 rehabilitation, sponsored by the Circassian Johann Le Guillerm and actress Anny Duperey, gave this monument its original brilliance, while adapting to the contemporary demands of the performing arts.

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