Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Théâtre du Vieux-Colombiar, located at 21 rue du Vieux-Colombiar in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, was founded in October 1913 by Jacques Copeau. The latter, wishing to create a popular theatre free from commercial constraints, chose this name to facilitate the location of the place by the public. The emblem of the theatre is inspired by a cobblestone of the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte in Florence, representing two doves. Copeau favored the work and actor, marking a break with the stage conventions of the time.

In November 1917, the Old Columbian troupe left for New York, where she moved to the Garrick Theatre for two seasons, without meeting the expected success. Back in Paris in 1920, the theatre reopened. In 1924, Jean Tedesco took the lead and made it a pioneer for avant-garde cinema, welcoming directors such as Dimitri Kirsanoff, Jean Grémillon and Jean Renoir. André Gide is even working on the editing of his Voyage au Congo, making Old Columbiar a versatile creative space.

During the Second World War, the theatre was directed by René Rocher (1935-1943), then bought by Paul Annet Badel, who turned his cellar into a jazz club frequented by figures like Sidney Bechet and Claude Luter. In 1944, Jean-Paul Sartre created Huis clos, a major piece of French literature. After the war, the theatre also hosted the first version of the show Le Masque et la Plume in the 1950s.

Threatened by demolition in 1970 to give way to a gas station, the Old Columbiar was saved thanks to the action of Claude Baks and listed as a historic monument on January 4, 1978. Repurchased by the State in 1986, it was restored and reopened in 1993, integrating from the network of rooms of the Comédie-Française. Its history reflects its importance in the artistic and cultural movements of the twentieth century.

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