French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Grésillon, M.-M. Mervant-Roux, D. Budor, Theatrical Geneses
Theatre and Performance

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Almuth Grésillon, Marie-Madeleine Mervant-Roux, Dominique Budor

Theatrical Geneses

CNRS

November 2010

250 pp.

ISBN: 978-2-271-07008-1

30 euros

Publisher's Description:

Is it possible to apply the genetic method, known for having proven its worth in literature, to the theatre? A theatrical work is a heterogeneous ensemble of textual and scenic data, an ephemeral and fleeting entity. Every staging, but also each performance, generates new modifications: textual cuts and rewrites, scenographic variations, variations in body movements, the timbre of voices, lighting, and the rhythm of the event. How, in this perpetuum mobile, can we identify the stages that allow us to reconstruct the genesis of the work? This is the question that the texts collected in this volume seek to answer: writings by creators (Brigitte Jaques-Wajeman, Jean Jourdheuil, Jacques Lassalle) and studies dedicated to archival corpora shedding light on the complex collaborations between authors and directors (Anouilh, Beckett, Bulgakov, Duras, Pirandello, Régy, Stanislavski, Chekhov, Vinaver).

Genetic criticism, traditionally focused on the pre-textual manuscripts and drafts of literary authors, faces unique challenges when transposed to the performing arts. Unlike a fixed novel or poem, a theatrical production constitutes a heterogeneous and ephemeral assembly of textual scripts, bodily movements, vocal timbres, lighting choices, and scenographic variations. Because every staging and individual performance introduces continuous modifications in this perpetuum mobile, researchers must adapt their methodologies to capture the fluid and collaborative nature of dramatic creation across diverse archival corpora.

This collected volume addresses these complex methodological questions by bringing together critical essays and direct testimonies from prominent practitioners such as Brigitte Jaques-Wajeman, Jean Jourdheuil, and Jacques Lassalle. The contributors examine archival materials surrounding major modern playwrights and directors, including Samuel Beckett, Marguerite Duras, Luigi Pirandello, and Konstantin Stanislavski. The book offers valuable insights for scholars of drama, theatre historians, and researchers interested in the collaborative dynamics between authors and directors during the complex process of staging.