René de Obaldia (22 October 1918 – 27 January 2022) was a French playwright and poet. He was elected to the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

on 24 June 1999.

Biography

He was the great-grandson of

José Domingo de Obaldía José Domingo de Obaldía Gallegos (30 January 1845 – 1 March 1910) was President of Panama from October 1, 1908 to March 1, 1910. Jose Domingo de Obaldía Gallegos was the second President of the Republic of Panama from 1908 to 1910 and ...

, the second President of Panama. He grew up in Paris, studying at the

Lycée Condorcet The Lycée Condorcet () is a school founded in 1803 in Paris, France, located at 8, rue du Havre, in the city's 9th arrondissement. It is one of the four oldest high schools in Paris and also one of the most prestigious. Since its inception, var ...

before being mobilised for the army in 1940. Taken prisoner, he was sent to Stalag VIII-C (in Sagan). He was then sent to the in on 26 June 1940, then to a commando at Auras an der Oder to clear a forest. Even in the worst moments of this ordeal, he kept his special sense of humour. He was repatriated in 1944. He began his career in 1960, thanks to Jacques Vilar, who presented his first major play, "Génousie," at the Théâtre national populaire. This was followed by ''Le Satyre de la Villette'', with

André Barsacq André Barsacq (24 January 1909 – 8 July 1973) was a French theatre director, producer, scenic designer, and playwright. From 1940 to 1973 he was the director of the Théâtre de l'Atelier. He was the brother of Russian production designer Léo ...

at the

Théâtre de l'Atelier The Théâtre de l'Atelier is a theatre at 1, place Charles Dullin in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The theatre opened on 23 November 1822 under the name Théâtre MontmartreEdward Foreman, ''Historical dictionary of French t ...

, a comedy which ranked him with his literary forebears Jacques Audiberti, Ionesco, Beckett. He was, for more than fifty years, one of the most-produced French playwrights on the planet, as well as the most internationally renowned (having been translated into 28 languages). Critics have admired the ease of Obaldia's style. His plays always take place within a framework of contemporary times and concern modern subjects, treating these in a comical manner. In ''La Génousie,'' for example, Obaldia replaces normal speech (in French) with Genousian, a language of fantasy, dreams, and love. In 1985 he was awarded the Grand Prix du Théâtre de l’Académie Française. De Obaldia died in Paris on 27 January 2022, at the age of 103.

Bibliography

*1949 ''Midi, poème'' *1952 ''Les Richesses naturelles, récits-éclairs'' (Grasset) *1955 ''Tamerlan des cœurs, roman'' (Grasset) *1956 ''Fugue à Waterloo, récit'' (Grasset) *1956 ''Le Graf Zeppelin ou La passion d’Émile, récit'' *1959 ''Le Centenaire, roman'' (Grasset) *1960 ''Génousie'' (T.N.P.) (Grasset) *1961 ''Impromptus à loisir'' (Théâtre de Poche Montparnasse) (Grasset) *1962 ''Le Damné'' (Prix Italia) (Grasset) *1963 ''Le Satyre de la Villette'' (

) (Grasset) *1964 ''Les larmes de l’aveugle'' (Grasset) *1964 ''Le Général inconnu'' (Théâtre de Lutèce) (Grasset) *1965 ''Du vent dans les branches de sassafras'' (

Théâtre Gramont The théâtre Gramont was a theatre venue located at 30 rue de Gramont in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. René Dupuy was the managing director from 1954 to 1973. The place was transformed into a movie theatre (Le Gramont) in April 1974 then chan ...

) (Grasset) *1965 ''Le Cosmonaute agricole (Biennale de Paris)'' (Grasset) *1966 ''L’Air du large'' (Studio des Champs-Élysées) (Grasset) *1966 ''Obaldia, «Humour secret », choix de textes.'' Préface by Jean-Louis Bory *1967 ''Urbi et orbi'' *1968 ''La Rue Obaldia'' ( Théâtre de la Gaîté Montparnasse) *1968 ''… Et la fin était le bang'' (Théâtre des Célestins à Lyon) *1969 ''Les Innocentines, poèmes pour enfants et quelques adultes'' (Grasset) *1971 ''La Baby-sitter'' (théâtre de l’Œuvre) (Grasset) *1971 ''Deux femmes pour un fantôme'' (théâtre de l’Œuvre) (Grasset) *1971 ''Le Banquet des méduses'' (Grasset) *1972 ''Petite suite poétique résolument optimiste'' (Comédie-Française) *1973 ''Underground établissement : Le Damné et Classe Terminale'' (Théâtre Saint-Roch, Chapelle du Calvaire) *1975 ''Monsieur Klebs et Rosalie'' (Théâtre de l’Œuvre) (Grasset) *1977 ''Spectacle Obaldia : Le Grand Vizir et Le Cosmonaute agricole'' (Théâtre du Marais) *1977 ''Grasse matinée'' (Grasset) *1979 ''Le Banquet des méduses'' ( Théâtre Montansier, Versailles) *1980 ''Soirée René de Obaldia'' (Centre Georges Pompidou) *1980 ''L’obscur procès de Monsieur Ménard'' *1980 ''Les Bons Bourgeois'' (

Théâtre Hébertot Théâtre Hébertot () is a theatre at 78, boulevard des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The theatre, completed in 1838 and opening as the Théâtre des Batignolles, was later renamed Théâtre des Arts in 190 ...

) (Grasset) *1981 ''Visages d’Obaldia'' (T.F.1) *1984 ''La Jument du capitaine'' (Le Cherche-Midi) *1986 ''Endives et miséricorde'' (Théâtre Mouffetard) *1991 ''Grasse matinée'' (Théâtre du Marais) *1991 ''Les Larmes de l’aveugle, Richesses naturelles'' (Théâtre Espace Acteur) *1993 ''Les Innocentines'' (Théâtre 14) (Grasset) *1993 ''Exobiographie, mémoires'' (Grasset) *1996 ''Sur le ventre des veuves, recueil de poèmes'' *1996 ''Soirée Obaldia'' - Théâtre Molière *1999 O''baldiableries : Rappening, Pour ses beaux yeux, Entre chienne et loup'' (Théâtre 14) *2001 ''Théâtre complet. Réunion en un seul volume des pièces précitées.'' (Grasset)

References

External links

*
L'Académie française
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obaldia, Rene de 1918 births 2022 deaths People from Paris Members of the Académie Française Prix Décembre winners Lycée Condorcet alumni French centenarians Men centenarians Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Commanders of the Order of Cultural Merit (Monaco) French Army personnel of World War II French prisoners of war in World War II World War II prisoners of war held by Germany