Popular Theatre and Political Utopia in France, 18701940: Active Citizens (Palgrave Studies in Theatre and Performance History)

This book is the first study of popular theatre in France from left to right, exploring how theatre shapes political acts, ideals, and communities in the modern world. As the French found innovative ways of imagining culture and politics in the age of the masses, popular theatre became central to the republican project of using art to create citizens, using secular spaces for the experience of civic communion. But while state projects often faltered in finding playwrights, locations, and audiences, popular theatre flourished on the political and geographical peripheries. Drawing on extensive archival research, this book illuminates lost worlds of political conviviality, from anarchist communes and clandestine agit-prop drama to royalist street politics and right-wing mass spectacle. It reveals new connections between French initiatives and their European counterparts, and demonstrates the enduring strength of radical communities in shaping political ideals and engagement. Popular Theatre and Political Utopia in France, 1870–1940 4 Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 Abbreviations 12 List of Figures 14 Chapter 1 Introduction 16 1 Popular Theatre: A Question of Democracy 21 2 Popular Theatre: A Space for Dialogue 25 Chapter 2 Citizens of Utopia: Popular Theatre and the Republican State 38 1 Politics, Culture, and the Third Republic 42 2 Early Discussions and Initiatives, 1870–1900 45 3 Wider Interest and Enterprises 49 4 Grandiose Projects (1900–1920) 53 5 The People and the Stage, 1920–1936 59 6 Conclusions 72 Chapter 3 Folk Art, Faith, and Nationalism: Popular Theatre in the Provinces 86 1 The Théâtre Antique d’Orange 90 1.1 A National Project 92 1.2 A Bayreuth for ‘French Athenians’ 95 2 Brittany: Legend and Faith 100 2.1 Breton Drama: The Problem of Authenticity 103 2.2 Primitives and Intellectuals: Breton Theatre in Practice 108 3 Maurice Pottecher and the Théâtre du Peuple de Bussang 116 3.1 Pottecher: A Parisian Regionalist 118 3.2 Le Théâtre du Peuple: A Vision 119 3.3 Le Théâtre du Peuple: A Realization 122 3.4 Textual Encounters: The People and Their Shadows 124 3.5 Bussang: A Meeting Place 133 4 Pierre Corneille and the Théâtre Populaire Poitevin 137 4.1 In the Shadow of Paris: The Regionalism of Pierre Corneille 139 4.2 Dramatic Output and Political Passion 141 4.3 Local and National Politics 147 5 Conclusions 150 Chapter 4 Beyond the Peuple Fidèle: Catholic Theatre and the Masses 168 1 Politics, Religion, and the Regenerative Community 172 2 A Bridge from Earth to Heaven: The Theatre of Henri Ghéon 175 3 Social Service on Stage: Léon Chancerel and the Comédiens Routiers 184 4 Catholic Workers on Stage: From the Patronages to the Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne 190 5 Conclusion 196 Chapter 5 The Beauty of Revolt: Anarchist Theatre in the Belle Époque 208 1 Anarchist Communities in Belle Époque Paris 212 2 The Théâtre d’Art Social 214 3 Louis Lumet’s Théâtre Civique 221 4 Popular Theatre and Revolutionary Communities, 1900–1914 227 5 Conclusion 233 Chapter 6 The Art of Revolution: From Romain Rolland to Communist Agit-Prop 242 1 Popular Theatre and Romain Rolland 245 2 The Fêtes du Peuple 255 3 Agit-Prop Theatre and the Parti Communiste Français 261 4 Conclusion 274 Chapter 7 The Art of Counter-Revolution: From Royalist Satire to Fascist Mass Spectacle 283 1 Everyday Aesthetics: The Right and Popular Culture 285 2 Un Rire Nouveau: The Carnival World of Action Française 291 3 Mass Spectacles and the Mundane: Culture and the Interwar Right 305 4 Conclusion 316 Chapter 8 Conclusion 326 Select Bibliography 334 Index 359 "Popular Theatre and Political Utopia in France, 1870â#x80;#x93;1940"--"Acknowledgements" -- "Contents" -- "Abbreviations" -- "List of Figures" -- "Chapter 1 Introduction" -- "1 Popular Theatre: A Question of Democracy" -- "2 Popular Theatre: A Space for Dialogue" -- "Chapter 2 Citizens of Utopia: Popular Theatre and the Republican State" -- "1 Politics, Culture, and the Third Republic" -- "2 Early Discussions and Initiatives, 1870â#x80;#x93;1900" -- "3 Wider Interest and Enterprises" -- "4 Grandiose Projects (1900â#x80;#x93;1920)" -- "5 The People and the Stage, 1920â#x80;#x93;1936" -- "6 Conclusions" -- "Chapter 3 Folk Art, Faith, and Nationalism: Popular Theatre in the Provinces" -- "1 The ThéÃØtre Antique dâ#x80;#x99;Orange" -- "1.1 A National Project" -- "1.2 A Bayreuth for â#x80;#x98;French Atheniansâ#x80;#x99;" -- "2 Brittany: Legend and Faith" -- "2.1 Breton Drama: The Problem of Authenticity" -- "2.2 Primitives and Intellectuals: Breton Theatre in Practice" -- "3 Maurice Pottecher and the ThéÃØtre du Peuple de Bussang" -- "3.1 Pottecher: A Parisian Regionalist" -- "3.2 Le ThéÃØtre du Peuple: A Vision" -- "3.3 Le ThéÃØtre du Peuple: A Realization" -- "3.4 Textual Encounters: The People and Their Shadows" -- "3.5 Bussang: A Meeting Place" -- "4 Pierre Corneille and the ThéÃØtre Populaire Poitevin" -- "4.1 In the Shadow of Paris: The Regionalism of Pierre Corneille" -- "4.2 Dramatic Output and Political Passion" -- "4.3 Local and National Politics" -- "5 Conclusions" -- "Chapter 4 Beyond the Peuple Fid÷le: Catholic Theatre and the Masses" -- "1 Politics, Religion, and the Regenerative Community" -- "2 A Bridge from Earth to Heaven: The Theatre of Henri Ghéon" -- "3 Social Service on Stage: Léon Chancerel and the Comédiens Routiers" -- "4 Catholic Workers on Stage: From the Patronages to the Jeunesse Ouvri÷re Chrétienne" -- "5 Conclusion." Front Matter ....Pages i-xvi Introduction (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 1-22 Citizens of Utopia: Popular Theatre and the Republican State (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 23-70 Folk Art, Faith, and Nationalism: Popular Theatre in the Provinces (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 71-152 Beyond the Peuple Fidèle: Catholic Theatre and the Masses (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 153-192 The Beauty of Revolt: Anarchist Theatre in the Belle Époque (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 193-226 The Art of Revolution: From Romain Rolland to Communist Agit-Prop (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 227-267 The Art of Counter-Revolution: From Royalist Satire to Fascist Mass Spectacle (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 269-311 Conclusion (Jessica Wardhaugh)....Pages 313-320 Back Matter ....Pages 321-357