The Théâtre des Variétés-Amusantes () was a theatre company in Paris.

History

In 1778, Louis Lécluse (or Lécluze), a former actor at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

turned dentist, opened a theatre at foire Saint-Laurent, which shortly afterwards he transferred to 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 ...

, at the corner of rue de Lancry and rue de Bondy (now rue René-Boulanger, Xe arrondissement). Unable to bear the hostility this new enterprise generated, Lécluse ceded his theatre and its company to three former dancers of the Opéra – Fierville fils, Malter and

Hamoir Hamoir (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. On 1 January 2006, Hamoir had a total population of 3,592. The total area is 27.80 km2 which gives a population ...

– as well as the financier Lemercier. The theatre opened on 12 April 1779 and it attracted large audiences by its varied and well-performed repertoire. Dorvigny wrote several plays for it, including ''Janot ou les Battus paient l'amende'' (11 June 1779), which was a great success. In 1784, the theatre's directors had their privilege revoked by a Conseil d'État decree, in favour of Gaillard and Dorfeuille, after a complaint from the

Académie royale de Musique The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...

. The new directors moved the theatre to the

Palais-Royal The Palais-Royal () is a former French royal palace located on Rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The screened entrance court faces the Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre Palace, Louvre. Originally called the Palais-Ca ...

and opened their new building on 1 January 1785, under the name Variétés du Palais-Royal. Its fare until that date had been farces, which they replaced with comedies, welcoming Monvel and Julie Candeille, then Talma, Dugazon and Mme Vestris. From then on the theatre was renamed the ''Théâtre-Français de la rue Richelieu'', then the '' Théâtre de la République''.

External links

All the shows put on at Les Variétés-Amusantes
on the CESAR site {{DEFAULTSORT:Theatre Des Varietes-Amusantes Theatres in the 10th arrondissement of Paris Varietes-Amusantes Theatres completed in 1779 Theatres completed in 1785 18th-century architecture in France