French Literature Reviews - 2026
Y. Lavandier, La Dramaturgie. L'art du récit : cinéma, théâtre, opéra, radio, télévision, bande dessinée
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics
Bibliographic reference: Yves Lavandier, La Dramaturgie. L'art du récit : cinéma, théâtre, opéra, radio, télévision, bande dessinée (1994), revised ed., Brussels, Les Impressions nouvelles, "Réflexions faites" series, 2019.
704 pages
ISBN: 978-2-87449-658-5
36€
Publisher's overview:
During the Second World War, in the Stutthof concentration camp, a woman named Flora ran a bread theatre. Using a portion of her meager rations, she sculpted small figurines. In the evening, secretly in the washrooms, she and a few other prisoners brought these crumb actors to life in front of famished spectators doomed to slaughter. Wherever humans are, in any era, they are surrounded by stories and have a need for stories. It is as vital to them as oxygen.
For over twenty years, a book has existed that speaks to this need: La Dramaturgie by Yves Lavandier—a book that has achieved cult status among professionals.
La Dramaturgie presents itself as the contemporary equivalent of Aristotle's Poetics. It is, therefore, a treatise on the mechanisms of narrative, their rationale, and their meaning. But whereas the philosopher had only Greek plays to illustrate his work, Yves Lavandier draws upon a far richer repertoire, pulling numerous examples from theatre, cinema, television, folk tales, and comic books.
La Dramaturgie is now the subject of a new edition published by Les Impressions Nouvelles. Yves Lavandier has revised his book for the occasion. It is primarily addressed to playwrights and screenwriters (both beginners and professionals), but it will also appeal to all practitioners of the narrative arts—actors, producers, directors, comic book artists—as well as spectators curious to better understand theatre, cinema, or comic books, and the relationship these arts maintain with life.
The study of dramaturgy has long sought to codify the structural principles that govern effective storytelling. From the foundational observations of Poetics to modern manuals, theorists have examined how narrative mechanisms function to engage audiences. By analyzing the rationale behind these structures, writers and critics aim to understand the underlying logic that makes a story resonate. La Dramaturgie by Yves Lavandier draws upon a repertoire including theatre, cinema, television, folk tales, and comic books to examine the mechanisms of narrative, their rationale, and their meaning.
La Dramaturgie is addressed to playwrights, screenwriters, and practitioners of the narrative arts, including actors, producers, directors, and comic book artists. It explores the relationship these arts maintain with life and the human need for stories. Readers interested in the structural commonalities between different storytelling media may find this examination of narrative techniques relevant to their understanding of how stories are crafted and perceived.