French Literature Reviews - 2026

A Century of Dramatic Criticism: From Francisque Sarcey to Bertrand Poirot-Delpech
Theatre and Performance

Published June 2003 Thomas Ferenczi and Chantal Meyer-Plantureux, Un siècle de critique dramatique. De Francisque Sarcey à Bertrand Poirot-Delpech
Ed. Complexe, coll. "Le Théâtre en question", 186 p., 19.90 euros (ISBN: 2-87027-944-2)
Abstract
Dramatic criticism reflects the state of society. When Émile Zola and Octave Mirbeau went to war against Francisque Sarcey, they were actually battling the reactionary bourgeoisie of the Third Republic. Romain Rolland, in his piece entitled "Point de critique" (No Criticism), aptly summarizes the authors' stance toward impressionistic criticism. Marcel Pagnol is outraged. In Impromptu, or the Shepherd's Chameleon (L'Impromptu de l'Alma), Eugène Ionesco ridicules the critics of the journal Théâtre populaire, most notably Roland Barthes and Bernard Dort. Theatre directors are hardly the last to wield fierce irony. And when Jacques Lassalle denounces the mediocrity of the profession, is he not raising grievances similar to those leveled by Jacques Copeau against Léon Blum? Are there, then, only bad critics? The defense takes the floor! Texts by Bernard Dort, Georges Banu, and an unpublished interview with Bertrand Poirot-Delpech offer a subtle and lucid outline of rigorous criticism.

Biography
A faculty member at Paris III, Chantal Meyer-Plantureux leads a seminar on theatre in intellectual and political life from the Dreyfus Affair to the Algerian War. Her research focuses particularly on Romain Rolland, whose figure dominates the history of this socially engaged theatre of its time. Her publications include the biography Bernard Dort, un intellectuel singulier, published in 2000.

The art of reviewing theatrical performances has long served as a mirror for broader cultural and ideological debates, capturing the evolving relationship between the stage and the public. Throughout the history of modern French theatre, critical writing has frequently sparked intense polemics among playwrights, directors, and commentators, reflecting deep-seated societal tensions. Figures such as Émile Zola, Marcel Pagnol, and Eugène Ionesco engaged in spirited disputes with contemporary reviewers, illustrating how discussions about dramatic works often transcend mere aesthetic evaluation to address fundamental questions of politics and public taste in France.

This volume edited by Thomas Ferenczi and Chantal Meyer-Plantureux, Un siècle de critique dramatique. De Francisque Sarcey à Bertrand Poirot-Delpech, examines the trajectory of French dramatic criticism. Texts by Bernard Dort, Georges Banu, and an unpublished interview with Bertrand Poirot-Delpech offer an outline of rigorous criticism. Readers interested in the history of French theatre, cultural journalism, and the dynamics of intellectual debate may find this work relevant.