Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Montparnasse theatre came into being in 1817 when Pierre-Jacques Seveste obtained a theatrical privilege for the Parisian suburbs. It took the name of an old theatre closed in 1772 and built a room on Rue de la Gaîté, then outside the limits of Paris (the district would only be attached to the capital in 1860). The original building, made of wood and plaster, was rebuilt in 1856, and completely redesigned in 1886 by the widow of Henri Larochelle and Louis-Hubert Hartmann, under the direction of architect Charles Peigniet, known for his work on the base of the Statue of Liberty.

From 1930 to 1943, the theatre was directed by Gaston Baty and took his name temporarily. Marguerite Jamois succeeded him for twenty years, marking the history of the place with iconic stagings such as Les Liaisons dangereux (1952) or Le Journal d'Anne Frank (1956). In 1965, Lars Schmidt bought the theatre and entrusted the artistic direction to Jérôme Hullot. After renovations carried out by Myriam Colombi (former resident of the Comédie-Française) in the 1980s, the theatre was listed as a historical monument in 1984.

The Montparnasse theatre is also distinguished by its annex hall, Le Petit Montparnasse, created in 1979 in an old warehouse and renovated in 2003 to accommodate 200 seats. Among the notable creations, there are L-Alouette by Jean Anouilh (1953), Becket (1959), and Le Libertin by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt (1997). Since 2021, Bertrand Thamin has been the sole director after the disappearance of Myriam Colombi.

The architecture of the building, typical of the 4th quarter of the 19th century, and its history linked to major figures of French theatre make it a must cultural place. Its designation as a historical monument in 1984 underscores its heritage importance, while its programming continues to attract a faithful public, blending classics and contemporary creations.

External links