The pantomime repertoire of the Théâtre des Funambules

Journal article

Many aspects of the Théâtre des Funambules and its star performer, Deburau, suggest that they deserve significant critical attention by modern scholars: not only their contemporary notoriety, but also Deburau’s subsequent influence on the history of mime. Yet the subject suffers from two difficulties: the lack of documentary evidence and the excessive attention Deburau has received at the expense of the theatre in general. This article seeks to tackle both these matters, first by considering manuscript sources scarcely used by scholars, and second by making a theatrical study rather than a biographical one revolving around Deburau. The article considers a short period of four years spanning the July 1830 Revolution, because the rapidly changing political landscape made more obvious the theatrical practices and aspirations of the Théâtre des Funambules. The article centres on three synopses of pantomimes which are representative of three distinct eras in the theatre’s existence: a ‘pantomime-arlequinade’ from the mute era before March 1828, a partly spoken pantomime from the subsequent hybrid era and a spoken and sung production from the era of freedom after the July Revolution in which only Deburau mimed.

Authors: Nye, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Journal: Journal of Nineteenth-century Theatre and Film
• Volume: 43
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 3-20
• Publication date: 2016-01-01
• Acceptance date: 2016-09-01
• DOI: 10.1177/1748372716673239
• EISSN: 2048-2906
• ISSN: 1748-3727