Théâtre des Délassements-Comiques () is a name that was used for a number of different theatres in Paris from 1785 to 1890.

First (boulevard du Temple, 1785–1799)

The first Délassements-Comiques was a small theatre on the

boulevard du Temple The Boulevard du Temple (), formerly nicknamed the "Boulevard du Crime", is a thoroughfare in Paris that separates the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, 3rd arrondissement from the 11th arrondissement of Paris, 11th. It runs from the Place de la Répu ...

, originally located between the Hôtel Foulon (the site of the later Théâtre Historique) and the site of the later Cirque Olympique. It was opened in 1785 by the author, director and actor Plancher ('Aristide Valcour' 1751–1815). Burnt down on 2 February 1787, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1788 and continued until 1799.Lecomte 1905
p. 23
The theatre was popular and this excited the jealousy of other neighbouring theatres, resulting in a regulation against productions other than

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

s and the employment of more than three actors at the same time, unless obscured by a gauze curtain. On 14 July 1789, the day of the storming of the

Bastille The Bastille (, ) was a fortress in Paris, known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. It was stormed by a ...

, Plancher Valcour tore down the gauze curtain in his theatre with the cry of "Vive la liberté!" In 1792 the theatre was taken over by Colon. In 1801, the building took the name of the Théâtre Lyri-Comique, only to close in the following year. It then became the third Théâtre des Variétés-Amusantes in 1803, followed by the Nouveaux Troubadours in 1805. The latter was forced to close in 1807 as a result of Napoleon's decree on the theatres. Most of the building was demolished except for the entry hall, which continued to be used for exhibiting trained dogs and monkeys performing tricks.

Second (boulevard du Temple, 1804–1806)

A second theatre with the name Délassements-Comiques, also on the boulevard du Temple, operated from 1804 to 1806.

Third (boulevard du Temple, 1841–1864)

On 12 December 1816, Madame Saqui, the tightrope-walker (or 'dancer') bought the Café d'Apollon, site of the old Théâtre des Associés, located at 52 boulevard de Temple, between the Théâtre des Funambules and the Théâtre du Petit-Lazari. Her new theatre was known as the Spectacle des Acrobates de Madame Saqui, but it closed in 1832 and was replaced with Dorsay's Théâtre du Temple. After renovation in 1841, a third theatre re-using the old name Délassements-Comiques opened at this location. The popular cancan dancer Marguerite Badel (' Rigolboche') appeared there from 1858 to 1860. With

Haussmann's renovation of Paris Haussmann's renovation of Paris was a vast public works programme commissioned by French Emperor Napoleon III and directed by his prefect of the Seine, Georges-Eugène Haussmann, between 1853 and 1870. It included the demolition of medieval ...

the building on the boulevard du Temple was slated for demolition, and the company relocated to the 26 rue de Provence on 30 May 1862, finally closing in January 1864.

Fourth (boulevard du Prince Eugène, 1866–1871)

On 15 February 1866 a fourth theatre using the name Délassements-Comiques opened at 23 boulevard du Prince Eugène (today the boulevard Voltaire). Within a few months its name changed to Théâtre du Prince Eugène, but the name Délassements-Comiques was restored in 1867. The theatre presented Hervé's ''Les contes de fées'' on 5 March 1871.Gänzl 2001, p. 916. The theatre was destroyed by fire during the last days of the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (, ) was a French revolutionary government that seized power in Paris on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard (France), Nation ...

in 1871.

Fifth (rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin, 1873–1878)

The troupe re-opened in 1873 in the building of the second

Théâtre des Nouveautés The Théâtre des Nouveautés ("Theatre of the New") is a Parisian theatre built in 1921 and located at 24 boulevard Poissonnière (Paris, 9th arr.). The name was also used by several earlier Parisian theatre companies and their buildings, begin ...

(on the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin) and continued to operate until 1878.

Robert Planquette Jean Robert Planquette (; 31 July 1848 – 28 January 1903) was a French composer of songs and operettas. Several of Planquette's operettas were extraordinarily successful in Britain, especially ''Les cloches de Corneville'' (1878), the length o ...

's 1-act operetta ''Paille d'avoine'' was presented on 12 March 1874, as well as Hervé's ''La noce à Briochet'' on 26 April 1874.

Sixth (1886–1890)

A sixth Délassements-Comiques ran from 1886 to 1890.Lecomte 1905
p. 24

References

;Notes ;Sources *Brazier Nicholas, M (1838): ''Histoire des petits théâtres de Paris'' p 6

* Gänzl, Kurt (2001). ''The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'', second edition. New York: Schirmer Books. . * Hemmings, F. W. J. (1994). ''Theatre and State in France, 1760–1905''. New York: Cambridge University Press. . (2006 paperback reprint). * Lecomte, Louis-Henry (1905). ''Histoire des théâtres 1402–1904''. Paris: Daragon
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Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical charac ...

. * McCormick, John (1993). ''Popular Theatres of Nineteenth Century France''. New York: Routledge. .

External links

List of programmes at the Théâtre des Délassements-Comiques (1785-1799) on CÉSAR

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theatre Des Delassements-Comiques 1785 establishments in France Former theatres in Paris 11th arrondissement of Paris Theatres completed in 1785 Theatres completed in 1804 Theatres completed in 1841 Theatres completed in 1866 18th-century architecture in France