Théâtre Édouard VII


The Théâtre Édouard VII, also called théâtre Édouard VII – Sacha Guitry, is located in Paris between the Madeleine and the Opéra Garnier in the 9th arrondissement. The square, in which there is a statue of King Edward the Seventh, was opened in 1911. The theatre, which was originally a cinema, was named in the honour of King Edward VII, as he was nicknamed the "most Parisian of all Kings", appreciative of French culture. In the early to mid 1900s,under the direction of Sacha Guitry, the theatre became a symbol of anglo-franco friendship, and where French people could discover and enjoy Anglo Saxon works. French actor and director Bernard Murat is the current director of the theatre. Modern "boulevard comedies" and vaudevilles are often performed there, and subtitled in English by the company Theatre in Paris. Important figures in the arts, cinema and theatre have performed there, including Orson Welles, Eartha Kitt, and more. Pablo Picasso created props for a play at the Théâtre Edouard VII in 1944.

History

1916: Alphonse Franck

In 1929, Alphonse Franck is succeeded by Louis Verneuil for six months.
In 1930, Maurice Lehmann becomes new director until 1931 when the place runs again as a movie theatre.
At the end of the year 1931, Twentieth Century Fox takes over the movie theatre.
In 1940, theatre returns.
Starting in 1958, Claude Génia becomes responsible for the theatre and introduces new notable plays such as L'Année du bac, Jours heureux, Bonheur, impair et passe… and a new generation of actors like Sami Frey, Francis Nani, Jacques Perrin, Roger Dumas, Juliette Gréco, Daniel Gélin, Michel de Ré, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Marthe Mercadier, Jean Le Poulain...
In 1967, Francis Veber presents his first play L'Enlèvement. Simone Valère and Jean Desailly play Double Jeu by Robert Thomas before Robert Lamoureux and Françoise Rosay introduce La Soupière, a comedy. Claude Dauphin is Shylock in The Merchant of Venice adaptation Thierry Maulnier before Elvire Popesco again plays La Mamma by André Roussin.
Under the direction of Pierre Bergé the repertory expands with the creation of Nous ne connaissons pas la même personne by François-Marie Banier and Navire Night by Marguerite Duras. Robert Hirsch is invited in 1979 after a long career at the Comédie-Française and successfully plays in Deburau.
First apparition of Philippe Caubère on a Parisian stage in January 1982 in his Danse du Diable. That same year Edwige Feuillère chose the Théâtre Édouard VII to return on the stage in La Dernière Nuit de l'été.
Jean Poiret and Maria Pacôme play Joyeuses Pâques. In 1983, Strindberg has his only and great popular success in Paris with Miss Julie played by Niels Arestrup and Fanny Ardant after Isabelle Adjani.
The year before that of his anniversary, Sacha Guitry returns home, thanks to Jean-Claude Brialy and Marie-José Nat, playing as a couple in Désiré.
With Chapitre II de Noël Simon, adapted by Pierre Barillet and and directed by Pierre Mondy, both Mireille Darc and Jean Piat returns on stage. La Répétition ou l'Amour puni by Jean Anouilh is played by Pierre Arditi, Emmanuelle Béart, Anny Duperey, Bernard Giraudeau and Béatrice Agenin, directed by Bernard Murat.
Paris discovers the English adaptation of the French classic Dangerous Liaisons with Bernard Giraudeau and Caroline Cellier. The season ends in May 1989 with Un mois à la campagne, dramatic comedy by Turgenev, with Isabelle Huppert, in a mise-en-scène by Bernard Murat.
The season starts in October 1989 with a new director, Julien Vartet and many comédies en vaudevilles which he authored: Point de feu sans fumée, Décibel, La Frousse, Archibald. These comedies alternate with an eclectic program: revival of Maxibules, a forgotten play by Marcel Aymé.
At the end of October 1994, the season starts with two plays by Georges Feydeau, On purge Bébé and Feu la Mère de Madame with Muriel Robin, Pierre Richard and Darry Cowl, in a mise-en-scene by Bernard Murat.
Julien Vartet undertakes important works of renovation which lead to the air conditioning of the venue.
After it was closed one year, the theatre reopened in September 2001 under the codirection by Bernard Murat and Jean-Louis Livi.
In September 2007, the théâtre Édouard VII celebrates the year of Sacha Guitry with two shows:
The following plays were all directed by Bernard Murat: