The Theatre > History

On February 27, 1946, it was decreed that the Odéon theatre, "Luxembourg auditorium", would be the second Comédie Française venue, and the theatre therefore came under the administrative authority of the rue de Richelieu and remained there for thirteen years. This was the time when Artaud gave a conference at the Théâtre du Vieux Colombier, the time of the "Art Week" in Avignon founded by Jean Vilar in July 1947. Back at the Odéon, areas open to the audience were being renovated, but the theatre was no more than an annex to the parent establishment.

It had no specific identity; works programmed there were primarily contemporary repertoire or second runs of standard classical repertoire. Amongst the plays premièred were works by Courteline, Feydeau, Rostand, Pirandello, Jules Romains, Montherlant, Audiberti, Cocteau...

Decree (1946): "The Comédie Française shall have two theatres, the second being the stage of the Odéon... until such time as this second theatre can be positioned as close as possible to the Richelieu auditorium."