L'Hôtel de Bourgogne

The oldest public theatre in Paris located in the historical market center of the city, The Hôtel de Bourgogne was built by the members of la Confrérie de la Passion in 1548 as a place to stage religious dramas. Unfortunately, just a few short years after it was completed, the French king passed a law forbidding the public performance of this type of drama. In exchange for this disappointment, however, the Confrérie were granted a monopoly over the public performance of other types of drama in the city. As a result, all troupes that wished to give performances legally in Paris had to rent the Hôtel de Bourgogne. In spite of the protests of many actors, the Confrérie maintained their monopoly until the Théâtre du Marais opened for regular performances in 1634. The company which regularly performed at the Bourgogne theatre left a very important book documenting stage sets used in the early 1630s. One example of this unique type of staging, called the décor simultané, can be seen here.

See the Model* Suggested Reading

 

 

*Model by Christa Williford, after research by Christa Williford.