Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Théâtre de Pontivy, located on Rue de Lourmel, was inaugurated in 1848 to replace the old wooden halls demolished in 1842. Designed as a multi-purpose building, its ground floor housed shops, while the floor housed a performance hall and meeting rooms. This project was part of a desire for urban modernization, typical of the 19th century, where public spaces combined commercial utility and cultural life.

In September 1935, the theatre was transformed into a cinema, the Rex, after a renovation led by interior architect Pierre Cadre. The latter adorned the walls of 70 m2 of murals depicting traditional Breton scenes: local costumes (Guémené, Baud, Pluméliau), pardons, kermesses, weddings and harvests. These frescoes, which are still visible, show an attachment to regional identity in a context of social and technological change.

The monument was partially protected by an order of 17 February 1988, classifying its facades, roofs and wall paintings (Cadastre BC 279). Originally, the building was the work of master work Richard Z.-L., while Pierre Cadre marked his history with his 1930s artistic intervention. Owned by the commune, the theatre today embodies an architectural, historical and ethnographic heritage, reflecting the evolution of cultural practices in Brittany.

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