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The Routledge Companion to Performance Practitioners

Franc Chamberlain, Bernadette Sweeney

Copeau (1879–1949)

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The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 techniques. Though hepromoted abroad culturaleducationforhisstudents, hewas equallyclear but, unlike Konstantin Stanislavsky or Michael Chekhov, he left no handbook outlining his the leadingEuropean and dramaschools.American Copeau wrote and pamphlets, many articles for thetheatre oftoday thephilosophies ofmany andtomorrow of –canbeseenunderpinning rounded notjustforthetheatre ofyesterday, educationforthestudentactor–preparing but also of theRoyal Shakespeare Company intheearly1960s. Hisbeliefinthevalue ofacompleteand classical revivals writing, andcontemporary was aprofound influenceonthefoundingprinciples leading roles inone production inthenext, andminorparts where therepertoire would include diverse andextensive. ensemble company Hiscommitmenttoatrue where would play as akey ofwhatisnow figure inthehistory toasreferred ‘physical ’. ments withinthecreation andpresentation ofperformance, have recognition ledtohiscurrent of , improvisation, mime and physical expression, astrainingtoolsfortheactorandele- Konstantin Stanislavsky intoauniqueandsuccessfulsynthesis. Hisinnovative work ontheuse of otherinnovators suchasEdward Gordon Craig, , Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and was able toplay asocialandmoralrole withthecommunity –hedrew together theinfluences search forarevitalised theatre –foratheatre which, asin Ancient Greece orMedieval Europe, of theatre, andonaninstinctive feelfortherhythmic demandsofaplay. andstructural Inhis andenergy;purposefulness anenergy basedontheactor’s physical skills, onavisionoftherole institutions.and theatrical American Copeau brought tothetheatre ofhistimeanew vitality, been profound and his work has also left its mark on the practice and policy of major British offered ofquality. inspirationandaceaselesspursuit Hisinfluenceon French culturalpolicyhas in needofdirection andpurpose, Copeau, through hiswriting, histeachingandpractice, and perhapseven European, modern theatre. At atimewhenFrench theatre was desperately and teachingrepresent alevel French, ofachievement ofmodern unmatchedinthehistory ’s successinthefieldsofjournalism, international playwriting, directing, Copeau’s influenceonthedevelopment oftwentieth-century theatre practicehasbeen In the history oftheFrench theatreIn thehistory there are two periods: before andafterCopeau. COPEAU (1879–1949) 3.1 The life of Copeau Jacques Mark Evans Mark 3 86 ( inSaint-Denis1982:(Albert 32) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 of theatre makers. and ideassothatthey mayandencouragethepracticeofnew generations continue toenrich anecdotes andappendices. This bookaimstodraw attentiontoCopeau’s achievements, practices needtobeseennotasthemaintext, againstwhichhiswritings heritage but asthefootnotes, dissemination down andstudents, alineofteachers –aliving directors andactors andchanging his theatre methods have beenkept alive notonlythrough publication, but alsothrough their nalist andwrote many pamphlets, andlectures, articles formethat my confirms own experience Lecoq, my work incommunity theatre, andmy own teaching. Though Copeaubeganasajour- in thissensebeenaconstantpresence throughout my career –through my trainingwithJacques andbackgroundoftheskillsthatIwasmore aboutthehistory acquiring. Copeau’s influencehas mimeandphysicaldemands ofcorporeal theatre techniques, todiscover Ifoundmyself curious the early 1980s. during in London and and exacting with the rigorous While Igrappled thatithasbecometaken forgranted. industries embeddedintheculturalframeworkso firmly oftheBritish, European and theatre American ofthetwenty-firstnot soclearlyevident century, atthestart becauseitis thenthatisinpart thefew decadesbetween during thetwogroup ofcollaborators World Wars. Ifhisinfluenceis theatre practicecanbetraceddirectlycontemporary backtothework ofCopeauandhissmall who followed afterhim, afield. bothinFranceandfurther Muchthatisnow commonplacein body andmindaswell astheirvoice, have shapedandinspired thework ofsomany ofthose moral andsocialpower oftheatre, andhispassionatecommitmenttothetrainingofactor’s andparticipation.rience andhiswork, andsimplicityofhispurpose The purity hisbeliefinthe one; a way of crafting handed down by and practitioners, teachers through expe- learned that studythrough reading was nottheway toeducatetheactor. Hislegacyhasbeenapractical the performance’ (Copeau1990: detailsofeveryday 5)–andtherich activity around him. His the dramaticpotentialof bare architectural spaces– orastageafter ‘like sunrise adesert his family’s houseasastageforhischildhood fantasies. Hismind, even atthatearlystage, noting his childhood days. The young therooftop Copeauusedtoimagine and courtyard views from family’s of , small library and from that filled the games and flightsof imagination or background, toperformances, trips the theirsonfoundinspiration intheoccasionalfamily the Ardennes, andalthoughthey connections themselves ortheatrical hadnonotable literary were areasonably well in family who inRaucourt offmiddleclass owned asmallironfactory to prosper andsurvive, andperhapsencouragedtheirson’s culturaldreams andaspirations. They and economic climate enabled middle-class families, such as that of Victor and Hélène Copeau, ofEurope.the continent, from allcorners andwriters artists drawing toitmodern This social wrongly accused of treason; atthesame time, culturalcapitalsof became oneofthegreat Paris problems, mostnotable Dreyfus ofwhichwas inwhicha affair thenotorious Jewish soldier was the following withsome profound decadesFrancecontinued tostruggle politicalandsocial to , itbrought withitrelative andagrowth economicprosperity inculturalactivity. Over the Third Republic inFrance, Empire. andthefoundingofGerman When peacereturned been abitterconflict, leading eventually of totheendofSecondEmpire andthebeginning of the Franco-Prussian still dealing with the aftermath a country War (1870–1871). The war had ofParis.Arrondissement The Franceinwhichhegrew upwasofpoliticaluncertainty, acountry 1879,Jacques on4February Copeauwas born duFaubourgSaint-Denisinthe10th at76rue My own introduction toCopeau’s my work three cameduring years asamime student The formativeyears Copeau (1879–1949) 87 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 including a stay in Denmark where in June 1902 he married ayoungincluding astay inDenmarkwhere Danishwoman, inJune 1902 hemarried Agnes to abandonhisstudies, insteadtoseetheworld. preferring toScandinavia, atrip Heundertook ).Natale (The Birthplace In June 1901 Copeau’s died; father now in his early twenties, he decided play, examsattheSorbonne,written Copeaucontinued withhisown writing, completingaone-act in 1896, aseminalmomentinEuropean (Donahue, theatre history 2008: 5). his Despite failing avant-garde ofthetime. Hewas present attheopeningnight of ’s atthe to performances Théâtre Antoine andatthe Théâtre del’Oeuvre, two oftheleading than hewas about attendinghislectures. What money hehadcontinued tospendongoing and philosophy, however hewas more enthusiastic aboutattendingthelatesttheatre far shows (1865–1940) inHamlet. heenrolled Onhisreturn inliterature attheSorbonneforadegree ager SirJohnston Campbell (1853–1937)andthe leading actressPatrick Forbes-Robertson Mrs important in nurturing hisinnerbeliefinthevalue andpower innurturing important oftheatre. ofmakingtheatre;rience thatitwas thefact hisown play, putonby himself, must have been by his fellowformed pupils. The young Copeau was enthused by expe- the success of hisfirst work intheyears tocome. despite the differences intheirideas, Antoine was to prove of Copeau’s andsupporter a friend inJules Lemaitre’sperformance L’Age Difficile, me’‘Everything hedidfascinated (ibid.), and, young theatre enthusiasts at the end of the nineteenth century. Copeau was riveted by Antoine’s The director André Antoine was andsignificantearlyinfluence, animportant ashe wasformany sous Ihadcarefully saved from my pocket money toattendthetheatre’ (Copeau1990: 211). Comédie-Française andtheChâtelet: ‘I usedtosneakoutofthehousegoandspend few to 1897, atthe theatre whichtimeheattendedvarious performances during Théâtre-Libre, the withadeeplyfeltsenseoftheirvalue:childhood gamesandimaginings childhood passionforgameswas intense. Inhislaterwork, Copeauwas tohis oftentoreturn In September1897hevisitedLondonwithhisfather, Englishactor-man- seeingthefamous In hisfinal year atthe Lycée, Copeau’s play, first Fog), Brouillard duMatin(Morning was per- Copeau was apupilattheLycée Condorcet (inthenearby 9th fromArrondissement) 1889 and theatre-makers was generous andinfluential. abroadin Franceandfurther was profound, forthenextgenerationofdramatists andhissupport Odéon, aftertheFirst retiring World War toconcentrateondramaticcriticism. Hisinfluenceboth andhackneyedstruction acting techniques. Helatermanagedboththe Théâtre Antoine andthe work hestressed theclose and scientificobservation of everyday life over conventional play con- founded theNaturalistmovement inliterature, Antoine established the Théâtre Libre. Through his naturalism.of theatrical In1887, ofÉmileZola, withthesupport thenovelist whohad andcritic André Antoine(1858–1943)was andaleadingfigure akeyinthedevelopment reformer theatrical in silence. is theway we , composeourfirst whichwe outinourgamesandmull over try bits ofreality thatheobserves witharelentless eye andabsorbswithaboldheart. This The mindofachildwanders amidsuchsemblances. tothe Helinkshisown fairyland La Sève ( The Essence), play, outlineofhis autobiographical and drafting thefirst La Maison Mark Evans Mark 88 (Copeau 1990: 6) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 and salesmanat theGeorgesPetit Gallery. Copeaucontinued working forfour atthegallery thepainter ommendation from hisfriend Besnard,Albert gainedwork asanexhibitiondirector withsurface,so concerned success, atany cost. andnotoriety the the commercial theatres of the boulevards, and by and cultural tastes associated with the artistic context; despitetheactivities ofafew innovators, atthistimewas dramainParis dominatedby milieu’right 1999: (Copeau in Kurtz 5). Copeau’s in its sense of isolation has to be understood andencouragement,support hecomplainedthatwas gettingnowhere, ‘I donothave the to establish himselfinthetheatredesired. career hesoearnestly Despitehisfriends’ continuing ofhistwentiesthe cares anduncertainties hadclearlytaken theirtoll. Onceagainhesought twenty-fifth year on. of fate. As Copeauwas toremark sometwenty ruefully orsoyears later: ‘From ourtwentieth or early indicatorofhisstrong senseofmoralresponsibility resolve andofhispersonal intheface the business went in1905. bankrupt loyalty Hisfamilial pointinhislifeisan atthisimportant more toleave –thistimetomanagethefamily’s Paris iron factory, whichhedidfrom 1903until was tocontinue withhiswriting, however now haddiedhewas thathisfather obliged once between thetwo.friendship tocontinue withhisefforts.writer marked ofalongand Thiscorrespondence thestart warm subject, theauthor André Gide, whowrote toCopeauinCopenhagen, theyoung encouraging writing, sendingseveral periodicals. toParisian caughttheeye articles Oneofthesearticles ofits by private French hisfamily giving lessons.to support At thesametime, hecontinued withhis child,their first adaughter, Marie-Hélène. Money was inevitably tight, but Copeaumanaged Thomsen, six metin earlier. whomhehadfirst years Paris Within the year, Agnesgave to birth In order to support hisfamily,In order tosupport and, insteadtothe worldart heturned ofmodern witharec- Copeau was now twenty-seven, Gide he looked but according ten years to his friend older; Gide persuaded Copeau to return to Paris withhisyoung toParis Copeautoreturn family.Gide persuaded Copeau’s intention original in 1947. translations andadaptationsofShakespeare andKafka. Hereceived forLiterature theNobelPrize between individual hedonism andmoralresponsibility. Hisdramaticwork includedplays aswell as André Gide(1869–1951)was aFrench novelist andplaywright, whoseworks explore thetensions spectacular, thesentimental, themelodramaticandtrivial. by thisleadtoasystemdominated by andfascinated the theegosofstaractors ofthecentury turn duce frivolous and sensational novelty and superficial effect. boulevard In the Parisian theatre of the the eye, andenchanting, Nouveau suchasthedecorative. ofArt flourishes At itsworst, itcouldpro - at leastforthewell-to-do. At itsbest, produced work thisperiod whichwas graceful, to luxurious and politicalprogress hadmadeforalife that was, ofthings, ontheface andsatisfying– comfortable betweenticularly associatedwiththecityofParis theyears 1871and1914. Across Europe, scientific The belle époque. Hefounditdifficulttoconsider seemingly how hecouldart form workinan belle époquewas marked by atasteforallthingsbeautifulandornate. was mostpar- This period . . We ceasetocontrol ourlife; itcontrols us!’ (Copeau1990: 6). Copeau (1879–1949) 89

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 new theatre company. theatre, was inCopeau’s amajorfactor decisionin1913 tofollow a hisown visionandform of Twelfth Shaw. GeorgeBernard Nightandmetwiththeplaywright Without adoubtthesuccess ofHarley Granvillevisited Londonwhere heattendedaperformance Barker’s production of dancer IsadoraDuncan. Over thenextyear, inParis, hesaw theBalletRussesperform and revival ofKaramazov Beerbohm withtheactor-managerHerbert Tree, andalsotomeet the followed. Ontheheelsofthissuccesshewas able tovisitLondonanddiscussanEnglish critics.the Parisian Itwas toberevived thedecadeorsothat three timesby Copeauduring amazov). The production opened on 6 1911,April and was hailed as a resounding success by chose toadaptandstageFyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel LesFrèresKaramazov ( aplayJacques forthe1910–1911seasonof Rouchétowrite Théâtre des Arts. Copeau cess but revealed littleofconsequenceaboutthenature ofhumanexistence(ibid.: 226). hackneyed dialogue andover-simplified ideasofcharacter andmotivation brought popularsuc- ofthecommercialwas theatres, theemptytheatricality where tricks, traditionalstage ‘business’, atre’s potential to reveal inner dimensions of human life. the true What Copeau could not bear commercialisation ofthetheatre ofthetime. was a beliefinthe- writing Underlyinghiscritical boulevardcomplacency oftheParis theatres, andrepeatedly calledtoquestiontheextensive descriptive style of most of his contemporaries, Copeau’s reviews and lambasted the mediocrity knowledgeable, perceptive andincisive (Paul 1977: 221). Compared tothepolite, anecdotaland 1905 and1913. Hewas–widelyread, recognised andsuccessfulcritic asanimportant culturally andnewspapersbetween forawiderangeofjournals by writing He cuthisteethasacritic his family,he neededtosupport andmore his significantlytopursue own interests intheatre. oftheearly twentiething French journals century. FinallyCopeauhadthefinancialsecurity Ghéon,and Henri foundedtheNouvelle RevueFrançaise, whichwas- tobecomeoneofthelead au’s fortunes, astwo years later, Copeau, together withGide, Jean Schlumberger, André Ruyters finally gave himaccesstoawiderpublic. Thisproved point inCope- turning tobeanimportant totakeopportunity over fortheGrande from Revue–apostwhich LéonBlumasdramacritic from thecritics. rigour andartistic In1907,and todemandmoralintegrity hewas offered the years, reform, –doingwhathecould tochampiontheatrical jugglinghiswork withhiswriting Les FrèresKaramazov, andhissubsequentcontactwithsomeofthekey figures ofEuropean His first opportunity toputhis opportunity own head His first over theparapetcamewithaninvitation from Copeau couldnow todevote start andtohisown more creative timetohiswriting interests. War, in1946, to Paris he returned where hediedlaterthatyear. perspective actorand director. ofthemodern After working theSecond in during America World Shakespeare (1927–1948), inwhichheoffered comprehensive thefirst analysisoftheplays from the performance. In1923hemoved toParis, ofPrefaces to where hebeganahighlyinfluentialseries diction, thecontinuous flow ofscenes, theuseofopenstaging, and anemphasisonensemble Twelfth Nightand He alsoproduced several ofhisown plays, aswell asground-breaking productions ofShakespeare’s ShawBernard (1856–1950), Maeterlinck (1862–1949). Ibsen (1828–1906) and Maurice Henrik 1904, where heproduced plays by someoftheleadingEuropean oftheperiod: George tial success asanactor, Granville-Barker tookoutaleaseontheRoyal Court Theatre inLondon Harley Granville-Barker (1877–1946)was anEnglishactor, director, andplaywright. critic After ini- The Winter’s Tale. His productions were notable for their lackof declamatory Mark Evans Mark 90 The BrothersKar- Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 tendance. Copeau alsoemployed openairrehearsals, thesimplesettingintendedtoencourage rhythmical exercises, play-reading, andimprovisation; were actors finedforlateness andnon-at- pany ethos, shared aimsandambitions. included: trainingregime The strict swimming, fencing, intoanensemble andhelpingtoestablish – bondingthegroupofactors acom- all concerned oftraining,This period rehearsal, for discussionandpreparation experience was anourishing alittleoverSeine-et-Marne sixtykilometres east of Paris, where heowned property. afamily and withlife!’ (Copeau1967: 452). The locationhechosewas LeLimon, asmallvillagein that henonethelessneededtotake hisyoung actors ‘outside the theatre intocontactwithnature Copeau’s aimwas tofree from ofcabotinage . hisactors thedangers primary he would have tore-educate theyoung thecore whowould ofhisnew actors company. form alongside companiesofjobbingactors. Inorder toachieve thisradicalchangeherealised that around clearlydelineated hierarchies inwhich ‘stars’ were their hired toperform ‘set pieces’ innovative ambition, theatrical as, for many years, of employment the pattern had been based before.experienced Heintendedhisnew company towork asadisciplinedensemble –atruly rations focus and direction, their creativity challenging in ways thatthey had probably never andidealismoftheyoung ofthetime, theimagination actors to andgrasped theiraspi- giving it coulddowas passionatelyfeltandeloquentlycommunicated. Itwas alsotimely; heappealed Copeau’s secret was hisabilitytoinspire–visionofwhattheatre others couldbeand what young follow actors a relatively unknown and unconventional director on such a risky venture? the financialstatusseparatingstarandhumble player 1999: (Kurtz 12). Why didthese financially burdened forcenturies, actors andwhichforced ontothestageavisible reminder of Copeau acceptedherconditionsandinaninstanthedidaway withaconvention whichhad traditional responsibility ofthehired , sometimesatconsiderable expensetothemselves. heoffered onconditionthatshedidnothaveaccepted thesalary to buy her own costumes–a backtothestage.and opennessthathewanted tobring Oneyoung actress, SuzanneBing, only In auditioningforthecompany helooked forindicationsofthenaturalandunforced talent he hadalready worked with, heinterviewed others andhired specificallyforthisnew project. Craig, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Harley Granville-Barker and Adolphe Appia. withmanycorrespondence ofthekey figures ofEuropean theatre, includingEdward Gordon ofresearch.and planninghisnew company ledCopeauintoaperiod Hethrew himselfinto between theactorandaudience. The process ofredesigning thenew spaceandoforganising conventional decoration for a simple, ornate functional stage which would allow direct contact oftheoldtheatre building wouldstage andauditorium needtoberedesigned –eschewing the withintheintellectualcommunities oftheLeftBank.supporters He saw immediatelythatthe vards toavoid unwanted competition andcomparison, andalsosufficientlyconvenient forhis (the road after which it was to be renamed). The location was enough away far from the boule- was lookingforinthe Théâtre del’AthénéeSaint-Germain, at21, du rue Vieux-Colombier achieve and most obvious this the first requirement was a space, and Copeau found what he oftheplaywright’s andtruth the poetry work tocomethrough unsulliedandpure. Inorder to productions,to beonfaithful honestandimaginative acting, andminimalstageeffects–allowing Shakespeareclassics (principally and Molière) as well as new writing. Heintended the emphasis 1988: 15), atheatre thatwould play integrate andperformance, witharepertoire basedonthe from thebaseup. Heproposed atheatre thatwas ‘simple but inventive’ (Bradby and Williams uphisownIn starting company, Copeau’s ambitionwas nolessthantorebuild oftheatre theart Though a formal trainingprogramme wasThough aformal notanoptionatthisearlystage, Copeaudecided He hired the corea young of his company. company to form of ten actors Some were actors The Théâtre duVieux-Colombier (1913–1917) Copeau (1879–1949) 91 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 abilities asateacheranddirector was stilldeveloping. and more direct, spontaneousandphysical approach; Copeau’s confidenceinhisideas andinhis the young company itwas DullinandLouisJouvet whowere alessintellectual encouraging not drawing out a fullperformance’ (DullininRudlin1986: 13). At thisstageinthework of therefore and – and inyour mind[you] oftheirinterpretation are makingupfortheshortcomings to pointouthimthat: ‘in listeningtoactors, [you] are allowing yourself tobe seduced his young associates, theactorCharlesDullin, whohadworked withhimonLesFrèresKaramazov , ‘host’, manager, thefriendly andthe ‘skipper oftheship’. ofone Itneededthepolitecriticism life,throughout his theatrical he tended to find himself drawn to the father-figure,role of the the own creative explorationoftheirroles. Hiscompany fondlynicknamedhimlepatron, andindeed, his passion for perfection and precision rehearsal for the actors’ sometimes left little room during the expense of discovering expression. itsliving theatrical At thisstagein his career asa director of experience; hisideasoutranpractice. Hetendedtorely onthesimpledelivery ofthetextat and informed the structure ofthecompany’s thestructure and informed typicalday. days ofthe Vieux-Colombier, trainingandeducationwere ofCopeau’s part anintegral project, company together’ (CopeauinRudlin1986: 12). Nonetheless, we canseethatfrom theearliest limited, prompting Copeautoreflect thatit would take ‘atleasttwo orthree togetadecent years through nothingmore thanrepetition andtradition. The results were promising, but inevitably compared forgoodactingthanthoseestablished hewas seekingamore profound setofcriteria andnaturalness;truthfulness inmakingnature themeasure againstwhichhisendeavours were felt thatworking environment intheopenairamore rural encouragedadifferent kindof togetusedalack oftechnicaleffects.the actors Onalesspragmaticlevel, hemay alsohave One ofCopeau’s thisperiod, during bothasanactorandadirector, shortcomings was hislack World War, period. andshared inthe directorship oftheComédie-Française forashort desQuatres (‘Group oftheCartel bers ofFour’), theatre whichdominatedParisian aftertheFirst company, and, like Dullin, heenjoyed considerable successinhisown right. They were bothmem- Vieux-Colombier asstagemanager (regisseur). hisown HeleftCopeauin1922 order toform teacher. Jouvet, inLesFrèresKaramazov (TheBrothersKaramazov whohadperformed ), joinedthe a key figure inFrench theatre through his work atthe Théâtre del’Atelierasanactor, director and early years. Dullin eventually his own company left to form in 1919. He later established himself as (1885–1949)andLouisJouvet (1887–1951)bothjoinedthe Vieux-Colombier in its indicates key differences between theirconceptionsofthe role ofthetheatre (seeRudlin1986: 36–37). vibrant senseofrhythm, play, withintheirwork, comedyandimagination useofthisterm theirdiffering alive ofacting’ art thetraditionoftrue (Meyerhold 1981: 122). Though both directors employed a gives tothesamequalities: ‘the cabotincanwork miracleswithhistechnicalmastery; thecabotinkeeps interesting tonotethedifferent emphasistheRussiantheatre director Vsevelod Meyerhold (1874–1940) performer, ofthe thefalseness ‘ham’ actor, theuseofsuperficial techniqueandemptyhistrionics. Itis identify thequalitieswhichhemostvehemently despisedinthecommercial actor: thecultofstar fromHe whosuffers itceasestobeauthentic, tobehuman’ (Copeau1990: 253). to Heusedtheterm Cabotinage –Copeauspeaksofcabotinageasadisease, ‘the maladyofinsincerity, orratheroffalseness. Mark Evans Mark 92 by thetext, Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 success which justified all his efforts andmadeCopeauconfidentofthesuccess whichjustifiedallhisefforts routehe nowwishedto take. ofeach other’sand asubtleunderstanding actingthatwas toproduce, atthevery endoftheseason, a ofitspublicidentity withinthecrucible performances; but thebenefit was acollective innerstrength freshness andvitalityofhisproductions shonethrough. The young company was obliged toforgeits toachievetimes struggled thefluidityofexpression to which heaspired asadirector, nonethelessthe was theatregoers metwithinterestofParis. andenthusiasmby theserious Though Copeausome- new company’s subsequentrepertoire combinedclassicalplays inequalmeasure and andnew writing Douceur ( for support. tothepublic onOctober22, Itopeneditsdoors 1913, withUneFemme Tuée Par La simple posterproclaiming itsaimsandambitionscallingontheyoung andcultured ofthecity ’s theautumnof1915. schoolinFlorence during whose work hesaw tohisown ascomplementary ideasandaspirations. visit Hisfirst was to forces in auxiliary 1915,April Copeaudecidedtomake useofhis timeby visitingthose people theirshared views ontheatrefirmed andthe Arts. Whenhe was invalided outoftheFrench Revue Française (Bablet 1981: 183), between andsubsequentcorrespondence thetwo mencon anddesignsintheNouvelle topublishHe hadaskedsomeofhiswritings Craigforpermission Copeau hadheard ofCraig’s work toCraig’s andwas asubscriber influentialjournal, TheMask. Front andhistheatre was requisitioned as ‘a shelterforrefugeesonleave’ andsoldiers 1999: (Kurtz 32). was declared; hadswung were againstCopeau–heandhisactors suddenlyfate dispatchedtothe andforthenextseasonwereIn latesummer1914preparations fortouring well underway whenwar inventive of Shakespeare’s interpretation play, that the company received numerous invitations to tour. standards.performance had finally paid off.The risk So successful was Copeau’s lyrical, comical and andaseason’sin thecountry ofcollaboration, experience produced fineensemble playing andhigh to simplicity, anddetail, sincerity ofthelimitedtrainingspell coupledwiththebondingexperience were prepared finishedastheactors togoonstageandperform. Copeau’s single-minded dedication exhausted –CopeauandJouvet hadbeenupallnightorganisingthe lighting, andthecostumedesigns acclaim.on 19May 1914toalmostimmediatecritical Bytheopeningnightcompany were The company’s majorsuccess, first LaNuitdesRois( The Théâtre du withaboldand Vieux-Colombier announceditsopeningtothepeopleofParis theatre and performance practice(e.g.theatre andperformance theworks of Tadeusz Kantor, Robert Wilson, Lepage). Robert practice, canbeseenasa manifestoformuch contemporary –andhiswritings anditstheories itshistory school of theatre and from where he edited his journal, atre), toseehisideasrealised inpractice. Craigstruggled HesettledinFlorence in1908, where herana notable collaborations(hedesignedStanislavsky’s 1911 production ofHamletattheMoscow Arts The- levelslighting andstaging hadaprofound effectonthedevelopment ofstagedesign. Despitesome Ellen Terry) towork but quicklyturned behindthescenes. Hisinnovative ideasontheuse ofspace, ican theatre practice and design. his career as an actor (he was He started actress the sonof the famous Edward Gordon Craig (1872–1966) was amajorinfluenceonthedevelopment ofEuropean and Amer- not indebted to a greater orlesserextenttoGordonnot indebtedtoagreater Craig. thelasttwenty- ofthetheatreTherefive during hasnotbeenasingleartist years whois A Woman KilledwithKindness)by Thomas Heywood andL’Amour Médecinby Molière. The Copeau and Craig Copeau (1879–1949) 93 The . He wrote profusely about theatre – its )by , opened (Copeau 1990: 14) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 imperfections’ (ibid.: 19–20). seed-bedinmya more fertile littletheatre, whichexistsandlives withallofitspoverty and excited, ofhisown certain route, andalsoconvinced that: ‘there isinfinitelymore soul and (ibid.: 22). Copeauwas ofstudyandreflection tocontinue deeplyinspired, his journey greatly delivery’ (ibid.: 19). As CraighimselfadmittedtoCopeau, ‘You believe intheactor. Idonot’ Copeau soughttoachieve hiseffectsthrough the actor’s ‘gracefulness, hisairs, hisactingand Furthermore, whereas event Craigsaw ofstaging, thetheatrical interms designandlighting, necessitated by theproduction ofnew work’ possibly be ‘realistic, living, necessary’ (ibid.: 18)? it. How couldany ‘movement fortherenewal whichisnotaccompaniedor ofdramaticart that Craigwas wrong toavoid thenecessitytorealiseanew theatre, notmerely todream of (Copeau 1990: 17). Copeau’s commentsbetray with Craig’s a frustration idealism; he believed tion whichcouldmake Craig’s work sometimesseem tobe ‘so uselessandalmostpuerile’ which couldbebothilluminatingandinspiring, healsorecognised thelackofcleardirec- assessment ofCraig’s ideas. While hevalued Craig’s of insight, flashes visionanderudition, to stage’rium (Bablet 1981: 185). architecture, use of levels and steps, could finally achieve ‘an unbroken transition from audito- imagination, building arealisable imageofatheatre which, stage permanent incorporating forfootlightsandbattens. fashion the contemporary All theseideascametogether inCopeau’s Bablet 1981: 184). Craigalsoshowed Copeauanideaforastagelightingschemethatavoided ofworkingthe course withthismaterial, but asitstands, itsatisfiesallourneeds’ (Copeauin ‘it isexactlywhatwe needforourstage. ofthesinglescene,screens andtheprinciple toJouvet: Copeauwas enthusedenoughtowrite expression.of theatrical Having looked atCraig’s designsanddiscussedwithhimthe useof forhis ownideaofatréteaunuonwhichtheactorcould(re)createwith affirmation apoetics theatre couldgenerateanew synthesisofscenicmovement andmise-en-scène, provided Copeau spaceswithinwhich andhisideas forcreating atmospheric ralism ofthenineteenthcentury creation. Ontheotherhand, Craig’s ofthefussydecorative visionofastagestripped natu- Copeau was convinced that the actor must of the theatre remain event a central part and its him towards to thewill of the director, reconfigurations of the actor as akind of marionette role of the actorwithin this vision. While Craig’s disenchantmentwith conventional actingled the creation visionforthetheatre; ofanew artistic where hediffered withCraig was over the ofthewiderculturalenvironment. understanding acquire afullandrich Furthermore, bothbelieved inthevalue ofstudyprogrammes thatencouragedthestudentto agreed on the importance ofdeveloping ontheimportance agreed ahighlevel oftechnicalskill: an environment thatenabled andencouragedcreative experimentation. BothCraigandCopeau of ‘welcoming theyoung’, forarejuvenated theatre. Craig’s aimwas toprovide withinhisschool It was thismeetingwhichhelpedtoconvince oftrainingnew actors, Copeauoftheimportance By the time Copeau had to leave to France, Craig and return at his own he had arrived Copeau shared Craig’s recognition role oftheimportant ofthe director anddesignerin craft are nottwo separateentities. think well leadstotheabilitydowell, competencywithperfectioninmind. and Art craft which once reigned over even the most humble endeavor. that to It is the rule It isneithertalentnorideasthatare lacking, norheart, norneed. Itisthedisciplineof Mark Evans Mark

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. Onemightbeable toimprove afew detailsin 94 (Copeau inFelner1985: 37) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 and committedassociatesinhisfuture work. Hélène, andamemberofhiscompany, SuzanneBing, bothofwhomwere tobecomeinvaluable and towatch Eurhythmic classes(Copeau1990: 59–62). Hetookwithhimhisdaughter, Marie- the summerof1916, asthismeantthathewas able tovisitJaques-Dalcroze’s schoolregularly inGeneva invitation period asaculturalambassadorforFranceduring ernment tospendashort (Jaques-Dalcroze 1913). Inspired by Jaques-Dalcroze’s work, Copeauwillinglyacceptedagov- pamphlet on the workIn 1915 Copeauhadacquired a short of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze for Eurhythmics atHellerau, inGermany. who hadcollaboratedwithJaques-Dalcroze insetting uptheinnovative trainingestablishment of theactorandperformer. recognising withtheinteractionofrhythm intheotherafascination andmovement inthework problems, CopeauandJaques-Dalcroze shared alife-longadmirationforeachother’s work, each Miss Howarth, andalaterreplacement, Jane Erb, were bothdismissedby Copeau. Despitesuch nastics but alsoobserved eachrehearsal’ (Rogers1966: 178–179). didnotwork; The experiment York in1917andreportedly thetroupe regularly‘not onlydrilled eachday inrhythmic gym- movement teacherwithhiscompany. MissHowarth was totravel withthecompany toNew in Paris, andlatertoinvite ayoung studentofJaques-Dalcroze, Jessmin Howarth, towork as to achieve. way expression, beunifiedintheatrical precisely theeffectthatCopeau wantedhis youngactors of theirpractice(Copeau1990: 60). mightinthis The entire oftheperformer bodyandperson isation andexperiment, hisstudentstoreflect constantlyontheemotionaleffect encouraging Jaques-Dalcroze’s approach, empirical theway thatheworked from experience, through improv- do thewillofmindeasilyandquickly’ (Spector1990: 56–57). Hehadadeeprespect for couldbedevelopedphysical oftheperformer tothepointwhere facilities ‘the muscles would Copeau shared withJaques-Dalcroze how apassionateinterest thementaland inexploring Whilst inSwitzerland, tovisitthedesigner Copeaualsotooktheopportunity Adolphe Appia, He was impressed enoughwithJaques-Dalcroze’s ofhisown work afew experiments totry potential uses. of the , instead a unified and expressive offering approach which could be adapted to several native vocabulary tothefunctional, formal mechanical exercise andtherigidly oftraditionaldrill his own school. Hismovement work was quicklyrecognised asapleasurable andliberatingalter- his postasProfessor attheGeneva ofHarmony Conservatoire hecontinued toteach, founding him, rhythm was a universal and essential component to all expression. After being dismissed from the dynamic qualities of the body over the static, practices of the previous regimented century. For of rhythm.understanding Inaddingrhythm togymnastic education, Jaques-Dalcroze emphasised had begunhiswork onmovement inorder tofindamethod release his students’ natural twentieth-century movement anddance. anddappercomposermusic teacher,A portly he Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865–1950)was anunlikely figurehead forthedevelopment ofearly Copeau, Jaques-Dalcroze and Appia Copeau (1879–1949) 95 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 to write to to write Appia: the idealistic visions of Craigand realisation.Appia could find theatrical As Copeau himself was problems suchinnovations posed. sense, In an important Copeauwas theconduitthrough which had theinsight, andtheworking environment experience thetheatrical inwhichtoresolve the oftheactorandspace–shouldbechallengedchanged.text andthescenicinterplay Copeau stage–spectacle,nineteenth-century music andeffect over thespoken word, therhythms ofthe conversations hisconviction with allthree thattheconventional confirmed hierarchy ofthe and Jaques-Dalcroze throughout his life, work isclear. andhisdebttotheirpioneering His event.macy oftheactorwithintheatrical Copeau remained incontactwithCraig, Appia Copeau called Appia his ‘master’ (Hayman 1977: 86),- andshared withhimabeliefinthepri The tourwas venture. aninherently risky Several monthsofplanning andorganisationhad to Copeau, themanipulationoftroupe’s repertoire tosuit tastes andinterests. American thathadbeendisbandedforseveralers years; identifyingasuitable venue; and, lessattractive There were difficultiesto overcome, - together a bringing ittroupe ofperform wouldmean Khan, whowas eager to helpintroduce the new European stagecraft to audiences. American troupe to New York, from with financial support the wealthy banker and philanthropist Otto interest inthework ofthe Vieux-Colombier Theatre. An invitation his was madetobring ofthedominantcommercial theatre in critique America. The lecture tourresulted in alively already fallen. Hislectures were anunusual success, given thatthey presented aprofound eventsby on the battlefieldsof France, theterrible where several company ofhisfirst had theatre in Newinfluence oftheGerman York atthistime–ataskmadeallthemore urgent Government toencourage involvementAmerican intheFirst World War andtocounter the ofFine istry Arts. This time hewas ofadrive by senttotheUnitedStatesaspart theFrench In January 1917, Copeauwas againdispatchedasaculturalambassadorby theFrench Min- including theinfluentialschoolofEurhythmics atHellerauinGermany, until Appia’s deathin1928. a collaborationwithJaques-Dalcroze whichwas tolastthrough projects various andproductions, oftheactionwithoutbreaking therhythmic spellofthemusic.tral placeasacarrier Appia began and hisstudents. Jaques-Dalcroze’s work offered a way inwhichtheactor’s bodycouldtake itscen- levels to create his effects. In 1906, Appia attended a demonstration of ‘Eurhythmics’ by Jaques-Dalcroze people moving inspace. To thisendheproposed asimplespace, usingmovement, lightsandstage text itself. andfocussedinsteadonthethree dimensionaldynamicsof staging Herejected pictorial aside thetraditionalconventions andwork ofstaging solelyfrom theinnerqualitiesofmusic or Wagner, inwhosecompositionshesaw avisionof a theatre ofthefuture. Hisinnovation was toset Adolphe Appia(1862–1925)had been inspired in his youth by the work of the composer Richard troupe ofactors. Appia, a that I alonehave intakingonthejobof forming begun at the beginning on thestage, orhouseinthevery theatre you wishtowelcome them. Itseemstome, of thefuture withoutknowing who willlive there, you whatkindofartist willput What shocksme, me, andworries is that you andCraig, you are building thetheatre The Vieux-Colombier in New York (1917–1919) Mark Evans Mark 96 (Copeau inFelner1985: 39) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 with Stanislavsky. gleaned from his visitstoCraig, Jaques-Dalcroze and Appia, andthrough hiscorrespondence Copeau becauseitgave toexplore inmore himanopportunity depthanddetailtheideas the Vieux-Colombier Theatre’s mission. The New York seasonwas to actuallyimportant Copeau’s intentionswere more straightforwardly of tonurture andprotect theintegrity of French theatre. importance the international Nonetheless, despitethis recognition, 1999: 48). The Vieux-Colombier’s visittoNew York thusplayed avitalrole inre-establishing atre system, andtocreating andbuilding anaudiencesympathetictothework (Kurtz dramatic expression, thework ofnative playwrights, arejection ofthecommercial the- Little Theaters. French culture, but they alsohad a significant influenceonthe development ofthe American could proudly announcethat: the achievement of Copeau’s young company that the programme for the New York season on stageenabled himandhiscompany toachieve somesuccessinthisrespect. Itisamarkof Theatre toNew York, however andtruth hisintuitive oftheneedforsincerity understanding limited, anditwas tobeanothersixyears before thevisitofStanislavsky andtheMoscow Art tion. Copeau’s knowledge of Stanislavsky’s realism techniques for psychological was, of course, - Karamazov characterisa grasp ofpsychological ) alsodemonstratedanincreasingly confident dramatic choreography and poetry. His New York revival of movement. As a director to pay he was careful learning attention to the rhythm of the text, its andexpressive aresult oftheemphasisCopeauplacedonsimplestaging no smallpart physical the young company’s ability to overcome the problems of language and culture. This was in late , deScapin. LesFourberies The successofthisandotherproductions speaksvolumes for at theGarrick Theatre inNew York on27November ofMolière’s 1917withaperformance successalsoallowing several himtorecruit theatrical talentednew actors. The seasonopened together almostallofhispre-WarCopeau succeededingathering company, andhisprevious to take place, includingthesearch forandredesign ofasuitable New York theatre. However The Little Theater movement foundinspirationinCopeau’s commitmenttoeffective andtheNew Both thelecture series York ingeneratinginterest in tourserved theirpurpose drama studiesin universities andcolleges. American new writing.and encouraging The movement was alsocloselyassociatedwiththe development of small, spaces, intimateperformance rejecting detailednaturalisticstaging, withform, experimenting sought topromoteIts members ‘serious’ theatre, puttingontheirplays incommunity venues and early cinemaandtotheperceived irrelevance ofthecommercial issues. theatre tocontemporary tury. The movement arose asaresponse by thecultured middleclassestothepopular successofthe The during theselasttwenty-fiveduring years. which canbecompared tothosenumerous stagesthathave artistic beencreated abroad The Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier istheyoungest ofFrench theatres, andtheonlyone Little Theater movement beganin aroundLittle Theater theseconddecade ofthetwentiethAmerica cen- (from ‘French Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier’, programme forNew York season, 1917–1918, FondsCopeau, Bibliothèque nationaledeFrance, p. Copeau (1879–1949) 97 Les Frères Karamazov ( The Brothers 3)

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 creative missiononcemore. must have beenasweet relief forCopeaueventually andtoresume toParis hisown toreturn the overall senseofsuccess, and associationshehadmade, anddespitethestrong friendships it explore the new challenges he wished to confront. to suffer. Company cohesion started Despite the actors’ energies, andCopeaubecameaware were thatnotallhisactors able orwillingto 115–116). Eventually, thestress ofsuchanextensive anddemandingscheduletookitstollon between November 1917 andMarch 1919 he produced 44 different plays 1971: (Harrop the tourfollowers andfriends. Nonetheless, Copeau’s – thetourwas workload gruelling during work had begun to find regular followers andfriends. Nonetheless, Copeau’s workload during of the tour, as a result of sticking to some of his plansand compromising on others, Copeau’s ically simpleanduncluttered productions which Copeauhaddelivered. Butover theduration richer, more elaborateandornate, somethingmore star-studdedandflamboyant, thanthetyp- ideas andideals. seemed to haveA proportion of theaudienceand critics expectedsomething backing meantthathewas reliant onasocietyaudience whowere notnaturallyintunewithhis ofboxquate degree officesuccess. Theconditionsofhistourandthenature ofhisfinancial their taste and he was forced to compromise with his programming in order to ensure an ade- siasts through Les Amis du ofthe Vieux-Colombier (TheFriends Vieux-Colombier), Copeau Copeau’s style. directorial The uncluttered, poetical realism of oftheseproductions setoutclearlythe guidingprinciples sensitivity, andsubtletytotheoverblown understatement preferring actingoftheboulevards. PaquebotVidrac’s Tenacity play Le . This play was fullof naïve charm, stagedwithsimplicityand ages ofalongwar. However, hitoftheseasonwas tobehisproduction ofCharles thesurprise andforgiveness, ofrebirth Bing –astory recovering foracountry appropriate from therav- of from outsideinterference, noraway from ofaloyal thesupport public: income andpatronage. For Copeau, couldnothappenwithoutfreedom meaningfulexperiment such ascale, no statesupport, withvirtually relying almostentirely onprivate finance, box office forustodayis fascinating thatsuchadistinctive couldoccuron theatre andrigorous experiment another’s agenda: ‘I don’t want statefunds, they would choke me’ 1999: (CopeauinKurtz 69). It (government offinancialsupport orprivate) whichmight,any form ashesaw it, bindhimto to thecavernous capacityofthemajorboulevard theatres –but Copeauwas resolutely against ger. this was Inpart becausethetheatre couldonlyhold363people –minute incomparison this successandrecognition was notenoughtoliftthe Vieux-Colombier outoffinancialdan- meant thathehadbecomeestablished asaleadingfigure inFrench and world theatre. However, By 1919, Copeau’s successasadirector ofbothclassicalrevivals international plays andmodern Le Conted’Hiver (TheWinter’s Tale), adaptedfrom Shakespeare by CopeauhimselfandSuzanne His successin America, whilesignificant, was onlypartial. Theaudiences were selective in Buoyed byacclaim, therecent critical andenthu- andencouragedby offriends thesupport Copeau chosetoopenthecompany’s 1920withaproduction new seasoninFebruary Paris for thegeneralpublic whichmust give itlife. pists. It is a work of slow construction, open to all workers of the theatre, and destined ofsnobsandtowinforitselftheephemeralfavor philanthrothe curiosity (sic)ofgreat - The orintellectualsconcoctedtotickle ofamateurs Vieux-Colombier isnotafantasy The company and schoolthereturns (1919–1924) re-opens Mark Evans Mark 98 (ibid.: 70)

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 novelist, andpoetJules Romains(1885–1972)tobeDirector oftheSchool. Romains theSchoolalongsideallhisotherresponsibilities,bility ofmanaging andasked thephilosopher, had northemeanstodoso’‘neither theauthority (Copeau1990: 28). Herealised theimpossi- had always atheatre aimedtoopenaschool before company, starting but initiallyhefeltthat space forexplorationandexperiment, aswell asforthepublic disseminationofhisideas. Copeau forthe company. totrainingactors restricted Instead heaimedtoprovide withintheSchoola foundation stonesforthemore ambitious plansfortheschoolinfollowing year. young groupvoice technique, andgroupperformance. simplecharacterisation This work laidthe of children’ (CopeauinKusler 1979: 20). classesthereforeThe first focussedonteachingthe spontaneity andphysicality. what Copeauoffered was, incomparison, of revolutionary nothingshort in itsfocusoncreativity, and functional of training regimes, of set roles to become actors with the Comédie-Française – actor traininginFrance. students, drilled throughThe Conservatoire themostpedantic primarily centre for of theConservatoire Dramatiqueastheprincipal NationaledelaMusiqueetd’Art Moscow) –nonethelessCopeau’s challengetothedominance schooloffered anew andserious Europe (e.g. Beerbohm Tree’s Academy ofDramatic inLondonandStanislavsky’sArt Studioin was not entirely innovative had already across – other schools for actors opened their doors theatre. While hisdream ofestablishing aschoolthatwould alongside thetheatre company run more work neededtobedoneinorder todevelop agenuinely spontaneous, sincere andvital of hisproject torejuvenate thetheatre. Heknew thatdespitehisown andhiscompany’s success, outbreak ofwar. Hehadalways would intendedthataschoolforactors bethefoundationstone and again in 1915, to provide for the actor had been stalled as a result a training regime of the of European theatre over thenextfourdecades. and beganthere-invigoration whichwas of theatre toplaceFrench writing dramaattheheart Romains (1885–1972)andCharles Vildrac (1882–1971) responded willinglytothisopportunity offered them the theatre resources to do so. such as GeorgesDuhamel (1884–1966), Writers Jules to explore the he encouraged writers ‘poetic’ possibilities of drama as a medium, and crucially offered anenvironment that asa welcomed playwrights key creative force withinthetheatre; able placetogo, andnew strove playwrights togettheirplays putonthere. Copeau’s theatre of thetheatre oftoday. The Vieux-Colombier, through itssuccesses,- hadbecomethefashion through totheclassics, areturn from thepastmust thelessonslearnt bebrought totheservice for Copeau’s mission–therejuvenation ofFrench original theatre couldnottake placesolely produced were new works 1999: (Kurtz 68). This changeinemphasismarked point areal turning mances hadbeenofnew work –now, the1920season, during nearlyhalfoftheplays Copeau seasonbefore thefirst During War, lessthanone-sixthofthe Vieux-Colombier’s perfor- now activity. of well-earned professional entered success and intense theatrical into a period as a corrupting system:as acorrupting ‘the onlyhopewe canhave inthefuture ofthetheatre is. bytraining children ratherthanre-educatingwhohadalready whathesaw actors beenformed theNew during York tourmeantthatCopeauhadbecomeconvinced thatthefuture lay with tance away at9, tobetterfacilities duCherche-Midi. rue withsomeactors Difficultexperiences Theatre’s courtyard, but thisspaceproved toocrampedandtheSchoolsoonmoved dis- ashort involving alimitednumberenterprise ofstudents. classes The first inthe were heldinabarn 1920, oncemoreThe School opened its doors in February the first year intended as a pilot The inclusionofclassesforchildren was important; Copeaudidnotwant theschooltobe At last Copeau felt able the to restart Vieux-Colombier School. His initial attempts in 1913, The School Vieux-Colombier (1920–1924) Copeau (1879–1949) 99

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Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 liased frequently onthestudents’ progress. SuzanneBinghas not generallybeencredited forthe ship withBingmeantthathewas always intouchwith thedevelopments attheSchool, andhe was effectively and core ofthe theheart work attheSchool. Copeau’s close personal relation- his work asadirector andactorwiththe Vieux-Colombier company, meantthatBing’s teaching into acoherent methodofactortraining. Copeau’s frequent andprolonged lecture tours, and toCopeau’s contributor crucial efforts, helpingtodraw together hismany ideasandprinciples was now into her own able to integrate teaching. In synthesisingtheseinfluences, Bing was a to her(silentpantomime, experience, sensory theessentialrhythms whichshe ofcharacters) nastics’ ofGeorgeHébert, andmovement improvisations ledby Bing. After Howarth’s departure, herteachinginputwas splitbetween danceclasses, the ‘natural gym- applied toourtraining. Italready withinitselfanaffectation’ bears (Copeauin Kusler 1979: 18). Eurhythmics, whichhefoundprone andself-consciousness: toartificiality ‘Itcannotbedirectly her classeshadbeenpoorlyattended. Copeauhadalsobecomeincreasingly disillusionedwith had proved lessthansuccessful, but theresult hadbeenatfault was that perhapsherinexperience author’s translation). thatIchosebetweennecessary thetheatre andtheschool’ (SuzanneBinginMignon1993: 204, that shewas prepared togive upactingwiththecompany inorder tomake ithappen: ‘It was of Copeau’s aimsandhercommitmenttothedevelopment andsuccessoftheSchoolwas such to becomethekey figure intheday-to-day work oftheschool. Shehadacloseunderstanding tures oftheteachingandtrainingat Vieux-Colombier School. thisperiod, During Bingwas mime.become modern Working closelywithCopeau, shedeveloped theseelementsaskey fea- withimprovisation,a fascination animalmimicry, gamesandthebasicskillsofwhatwas laterto Whilst inNew York, shehadvisitedschoolsandobserved children’s gamesandplay; thisledto actress SuzanneBinghadbecomeincreasingly involved withtheteachingofstudentactors. within thecompany, whichnow didmuch toshapethisnextphaseinCopeau’s work. The guishable blend ofactivity. Japanese Nōhcompanies, inwhichtraining, ofanindistin- becamepart living andperforming modelsofthepast,great thetheatrical ‘families’ troupes ofthecommediadell’arte andthegreat of actor-artists. closertothe For CopeauinclusionoftheSchoolbrought hiswholeenterprise was, by inclinationandbelief, ascommittedCopeautotheideaofdeveloping acommunity Suzanne Binghadtaken notesonHowarth’s movement classes, focusingonaspectsofinterest At the same time, Jessmin Howarth’s in the basics of Eurhythmics attempts to train the actors The legacyofthevisittoNew York was evident through developments someimportant modern mimeandmaskimprovisationmodern techniques, andofphysical trainingforactors. Copiaus andtheCompagniedesQuinze. Herteachingwas highlyinfluentialthedevelopment of key memberoftheteachingstaffat Vieux-ColombierSchoolandlateraleadingmemberofLes she hadason, Bing, Bernard in1917. born ShebecameoneofCopeau’s closestassociates; shewas a joining the Vieux-Colombier Theatre season. initsfirst withCopeau, Shehadanaffair withwhom trained attheConservatoiredramatiqueanditwas theatre d’Art totheParis thatshenow returned, 1965) in1906, moving withhimtoBerlinin1907. In1913sheandherhusbanddivorced, shehad Copiaus andlaterwiththeCompagniedesQuinze. thecomposerEdgar Shemarried Varèse (1883– (1887–1967)was aleadingactress andteacheratthe Vieux-Colombier, withLes Mark Evans Mark 100 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 and schoollinked by connectionswhichwent deeperthanprofessional andcommercial need. andplayfulthe atmosphere innovation, ofexperiment ofacompany helpedto fosterthespirit it, marked thehighpointofSchool’s achievement. The mixoffamily, andnewcomers, friends Bing, that produced a revival oftheclassicalJapanese Nōhplay, Kantan, that, forthosewhosaw introduced themaskasatrainingdevice. And it was thisapprentice group, directed by Suzanne make inactor-training; theirmostprofound experiments itwas intheirclassesthatCopeaufirst project fortherest ofthedecade. Itwas withthisyoung group thatCopeauandBingfeltable to were several pupils, includinghisown daughter Marie-Hélène, whowere tostay withCopeau’s future. in1921asasmall class ofsixstudents,The apprentice groupstarted atthecore ofwhich which hesaw as endemic intheprofession, thathesaw ofthe thepossibilityforatheatre art to Copeauwas thelast–itwas inthisgroupofapprentice actors, untaintedby thebadhabits and children withoutprevious actingexperience. Ofthesestrands, bythemostimportant far general public; andothertheatre forstudent actors artists; courses foryoung andcourses people 1921, included three strands which represented the main aims of the school: for the courses programme oftraining, in whichbeganwhentheSchoolopenedinitsmostcompleteform most completeexpression ofCopeau’s work onthetrainingofactor. The newly expanded instrument’ (CopeauinKusler 1979: 20). The nextthree years oftheschoolrepresented the whoserealisation wedramatic forms have asyet forlackofaproper notbeenable toimagine preparation ofanartist, ofajourneyman. notthedrilling They were tobecome, of ‘interpreters of studyindicatesCopeau’s thathisstudentsshouldseetheirtrainingasthe determination traditions of Ancient Greece, theMiddle Ages andtheRenaissance). The resulting programme improvisation andphysical technique), research intothetheatrical (in particular andofhistorical theatre. This was tobeachieved (using through activities ofexperiment thecomplementary contribution, seeDonahue(2008, 95–125)andFleming(2013). mimetechnique andmaskimprovisation.detail ofcorporeal For adetaileddiscussionofBing’s ideasthroughpedagogical practice, andthrough herteachingshewas todevelop much ofthe twice in his account of Copeau’s achievements); to her fell the task of testing many of Copeau’s shemadetotheSchool(Jeanhugely significantcontribution Dorcy (1961)mentionsheronly For Copeau, taskoftheschool andmostimportant was to thefirst rediscoverrules of the fitness, strength and in France. After a career as a naval officer, the natural which he noted with fascination during George (1875–1957)was Hébert ficant influenceonthedevelopment asigni ofphysical education extreme-sport of extreme-sport ‘free-running’ orparkour. trainingofJacques 2003: Lecoq(Murray 30), andeven urban inthecontemporary exercise forwomen. Hisinfluencecanbeseenthedevelopment training, ofobstaclecourse the climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, swimming andself-defence. Hewas anearlyadvocate of resistance, andspeed’, muscularity basingallexercise around walking, running, jumping, crawling, observation ofandinteractionwithNature. soughtphysical Hébert development through ‘organic of thedominantSwedish method, andproposed thatphysical educationshouldbelinked toan observed andon Ancient Greek physical ideals. Hissystemrejected themechanicalrepetition Rheims, basedonthe andprinciples hisown heformulated theories ‘natural’ practiceshehad gymnastictraining. offormal form Later, asateacherofphysical educationattheCollegeof travelled extensively, thephysical observing prowess ofindigenouspeopleswhohadnotany flexibility of the ‘button boys’ of the tall ships, who climbed the rigging he Copeau (1879–1949) 101 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 charge himself. eventually removing himaltogether from theSchool), sothatCopeaucouldtake more active moving hiscolleagueJules Romainstooversee provision theexpandedpublic course (and discipline. Enthusedby thesuccessofSchool, Copeaure-organised thewholeenterprise, asm ofthestudentswas high, theatmosphere aheadymixofinvention, discovery, and liberty 30), withCopeaucountingonhisstudentstohelphimmove thework forward. The enthusi- ‘discovery becamethecommontaskofmasterandstudent’ (MichelSaint-DenisinKusler 1979: au’s knowledge ofdevelopments elsewhere inEurope. Inevitably, asoneofhisstudentsnoted, tofollowBing andtheotherteachers otherthantheirown instinctsandexperience, andCope- Stanislavsky’s work attheMoscow Art Theatre. as 1916, sure thatthere was much incommonbetween hisideasforthe Vieux-Colombier and totheRussianactor,had written theatre director, andteacherKonstantin Stanislavsky asearly another mentorwhocouldprovide oftheactor. anequallycompellingvisionoftheart He Just conceptsofCraigand ashehadfoundinspirationinthestaging Appia, Copeaunow found The Lower Depths, Granville Barker, andthen, afew days later, Stanislavsky andhiscompany set sailforNew York. at the Vieux-Colombier. Copeaugave adinneratnearby restaurant, alsoattendedby Harley Theatre’s andon21Decemberamidnightreception visittoParis was heldforStanislavsky centre oftheatre art. Copeau and Stanislavsky theMoscow kept in closecontactduring Art Stanislavsky, andtwo days thecreation laterthey ofaninternational mettodiscussfurther of an extensive as part Paris tour. Copeau was at the Gare du Nord railway station to welcome on the29November 1922Stanislavsky andtheMoscow Art Theatre travelled from Berlinto which they hadestablished was toendure the distanceanddifficultiesofthenext five years, and and Stanislavsky’s andhisfamily’s private fortune business hadvanished. However thefriendship by revolution thetimeheattemptedtocontactStanislavsky againtheFebruary hadoccurred from together leadingartists aroundmight bring theworld. Copeauwas equallyenthused, but The work oftheschoolwas sonew andinnovative, thatthere were few markers forCopeau, isation andphysical engagementwithtextandcharacter. Physical Actions and Active Analysis, ideaswhichshare withCopeau’s work anemphasisonimprov- a Character. Recentstudies(e.g. Merlin2003)have ofhislaterwork highlightedtheimportance on to thesuccessofhisbooks,Prepares, available inEnglishasAnActor Russian Revolution, hecontinued toteach, direct andactuntilhisdeath. Hisinfluence owes much productionsthe first ofmost of AntonChekhov’s plays. ofhis wealth afterthe Thoughstripped through whichtheactorcouldrepeatedly achieve ahighlevel realism. ofpsychological Hedirected (1858–1943), the . He revolutionised the actor’s craft, building aprocess of in thehistory Western theatre. In1898heco-founded, with Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko Konstantin Stanislavsky (1863–1938)isprobably anddirectors oneofthemostinfluentialteachers Copeau and his company had the opportunity towatchCopeau andhiscompany hadtheopportunity Stanislavsky’s productions ofFiodor, Stanislavsky replied toCopeau, studiowhich excitedby thepossibilityofaninternational , and Copeau and Stanislavsky and Copeau Mark Evans Mark 102 The Cherry Orchard,The Cherry and they were very much Building aCharacter, andCreating Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 for hisdecision toclosethe 1925:Vieux-Colombier (Carter 161). However hisintentionwas across Europe, andatimeofhightaxationforthetheatres inFrance–another possible motive To complicatematters, hewas leaving thecapitalatatimeofincreasing financialdifficulties favour(1923) to find critics, withthe Paris he must alsohave ofdirection. facing acrisis been 173). by play ofhisautobiographical Disillusioned anddisheartened the failure La Maison natale insearch andEuropean ofamoreParisian modernity regenerative visionof theatre (Ward 1996: to follow theatre, him) to the cause of regional but also in many his back on respects turning students,not onlycommittinghimself(andthethirty-four whochose writers, andactors artists model forthefuture development oftheÉcoledu Vieux-Colombier. us all’ (CopeauinFelner 1985: 39), andStanislavsky’s Moscow Studioprovided animportant from need’should originate (Felner 1985: 39). Copeaurecognised Stanislavsky as ‘the masterof andtruth,of sincerity thatactionmust belinked state, toapsychological [and]thatmovement (Saint-Denis 1967: 111). from StanislavskyWhat Copeaulearnt was threefold: ‘the importance published, the Vieux-Colombier company were, inthewords ofMichelSaint-Denis, ‘converted’ know thedetailofStanislavsky’s Systemuntilmuch later, whenthekey textswere translatedand tookplacewiththetheatre lightingatfullthroughout.the performance Although they didnot have appreciated thesubsequentsimplicity–allmostelaborateeffects were abandonedand untilthevery lastminute,and costumesdidnotarrive however Copeauandhiscompany may impressed by whatthey saw. The openingproduction ofFiodorwas nearlyadisasterwhenthesets search forasimple, pure andpopulartheatre –even againalmostfrom ifitmeantstarting scratch. this was aworld onwhichCopeauwas hisback, oncemore turning settingouttorenew his desQuatres,Cartel would dominatethedevelopment oftheatre between inParis the Wars. But his departure. Hisinfluence, through Jouvet’s work andthe ofthe work oftheothermembers nation was unshakeable. Copeau ‘bequeathed’ company hisParis andrepertoire toJouvet before everything. Iamplaying thelastchanceofmy life’ (CopeauinKusler 1979: 50),- but hisdetermi theatre ofwhichhedreamed. thathewas taking: risk Herecognised theenormous ‘I have left withasmallgroupofyoungcountryside followers represented hisfinalchanceto achieve the to many step. tobearetrograde andcapricious ButforCopeau, thesubsequentretreat tothe at a point when his own reputation and that of the Vieux-Colombier was at its height, seemed that heintendedtoclosebothSchooland Theatre. This radicalandimpulsive decision, taken another year afterStanislavsky’s visit, but in1924Copeaumadetheunexpectedannouncement visionforanew kindoftheatre.his original The Vieux-Colombier continued successfullyfor Stanislavsky’s seemstohave visittoParis renewed Copeau’s torecommit to determination In re-locating that autumn to the remote rural village of Mourteuil inBurgundy,In re-locating villageofMourteuil thatautumntothe remote rural Copeauwas between the Wars, and toprotect Copeau’s legacyandinfluence. the poeticfunctionofdrama. Itdidmuch dramaproduction bothtofosterthegrowth ofserious They all committed to a policy of respect for the text, approach to and a serious simple staging and theirdirectors: LouisJouvet, CharlesDullin, GastonBaty, andGeorgesLudmillaPitoëff. The Cartel des Quatres alliance, wasCartel aninformal begunin1927, between fourinfluentialtheatres The retreat to CopiausBurgundy (1924–1929) Les – Copeau (1879–1949) 103 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 would notlethim slacken, andaswith so many ofhisventures hefoundithard todelegate and unwell the afteryears ofmanaging Vieux-Colombier –hiscommitmentanddedication retreat toBurgundywas aventure balancedforitssuccessonaknife’s edge. Copeauwas tired was nottheendresultof suchanexperiment somuch asthe process itself. Nonetheless, the by (e.g. latercommentators Bentley 1950: 48–51), whorecognised quality thattheimportant which Copeaudreamed were aseductive illusion. Gide’s were criticisms effectively countered representedcountryside anactofmisguidedromanticism. For Gide, of thesanctityandpurity by unitsofwhichitwas theinterlockingfamily now composed. meetings to discuss theirwork (Kusler 1979: 36). The cohesion of the group was strengthened the schoolinParis. They continued tohelpwithcleaning, kept alog oftheiractivities andheld many ways acontinuation Copeauhadestablished oftheregime forthefinal year studentsof sincerity, intelligenceandgoodhumour. The organisationofthecompany inBurgundywas in actor, discipline, ofpersonal theimportance respect forfellow artists, thevalue ofindividuality, new project. was tobeonthemoralresponsibility ofthe The emphasis withinthisenterprise daughter Marie-Hélène, andtheyoung EtienneDecroux) inorder toannouncehisaimsfor he couldnow draw alineundersomeofthosefractures andschisms. the company and the School, and the decision to make the break have must in part meant that attheSchoolin1920)had,had started towards theend, created jealousiesanddivisions within clear interest inthework withthe apprentice group(basedlargelyontheofchildren who would allow thebalancetoshiftbackinfavourandexploration. ofexperiment His compromise hisvisionbecauseoffinancialconstraints. He must have hopedthatthe retreat to grown foramove tolargerpremises, fortheacceptanceofsubsidy, but Copeauwas reluctant to hadincreasingly tendedtodominateoverformances theactivity oftheSchool. Pressure had equivalent. At the Vieux-Colombier, theneedforcontinuous production ofsuccessfulper- must have tied to the tiller of a theatrical desire to find himself permanently had no particular although thishadgiven himagenuine appreciation ofthevalue ofcraftandhonestlabour, he theatre world inParis. factory, asmallfamily Copeauhadspenthisearlyadulthoodrunning and focussedontheactor’ssimple andrigorously skills. ducing work relevant totheconditionsoflifewithinthatcommunity; atheatre whichwas pure, involved inandevolving from theworking lifeofthecommunity inwhichitwas based, pro- not simplytorelocate hisexistingwork, but rathertoexplore anew kindoftheatre: atheatre For someofCopeau’s friends, literary includingthewriter André Gide, theretreat tothe In November 1924Copeaugathered together thesmallcompany (whichincludedhisown Such aretreat attemptedalsotoremove thecompany from thecommercial pressures ofthe the central figures in the history of modern mime. ofmodern the centralfigures inthehistory mimeartist (whomhetaught)andJacquesinternational Lecoq, Decroux isoneof filmLesEnfants duParadisthe famous ), but legacyisasateacher–alongsidethe perhapshisgreatest mime.concept ofcorporeal inmimeperformances, Decroux performed plays, andfilms(including Louis Barrault, and together they began working on what was to become the basis of Decroux’s and mime teacher, where he worked for eight years. In 1931 he met with the young actor Jean- He thenworked withBatyandJouvet, andlaterjoinedDullinatthe Théâtre del’Atelierasanactor followed Copeau to Burgundy, but left after five months as a result of the company’s initial problems. Etienne Decroux (1898–1991) enrolled as a student at the Vieux-Colombier School in 1923. He Mark Evans Mark 104 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 that despitebeing ontheverge ofachieving hisprophetic visionof asmalltroupe of actor/artists ers, andLesCopiausare asignificantsuccessinthis respect. ofhissuccess, The price however, was creative instincts. Copeau had always at developing been gifted the talents and creativity of oth- ofLesCopiaus,members already straining attheleash, increasingly soughttoexplore theirown and Jouvet hadeventually neededtobecomeindependentofthe Vieux-Colombier, sotoothe For someofLesCopiaus, lepatron’s control ofthegroup sometimesfeltoppressive. Just asDullin general direction of the work. was not without its difficulties and its tensions. This arrangement continued presence (however distantattimes)meantthathemaintainedaclearcontrol over the taken up with raising funds through appearances. lecture and personal tours Copeau’s Certainly and an actor, as a writer continued to participate of his time were though large portions also connections withCopeau’s visionand yet alsosuggestedlightness, youth andhumour. Copeau (or theLittleCopeaus). The company now adoptedthistitle, aname whichreflected thestrong that thelocalpeople, punningonCopeau’s name, tocallthegroup hadstarted ‘Les Copiaus’ group from the few followers whohad stayed onin Burgundy. The company’s log-book notes including: SuzanneBing, MichelSaint-DenisandLeonChancerel (1886–1965). group decided to stay on in Pernand-Vergelessesnumber of the original and continue the work, counter-seam of playfulness,engendered a rich irreverence and spontaneous celebration. A small of thecountryside. hadhelpedtocultivate rules adisciplinedwork-ethic,The strict but hadalso andfestivity andintheexplorationofdramaticresponses totherhythmsritual andcelebrations strong senseofcommunity thattheretreat hadprovided, hadfostered aninstinctive interest in of itsown accord amongsthisyoung company. The basicconditions, tonature, thereturn andthe option but todisbandthegroup. it was clearthattheproject, asinitiallyconceived by Copeau, couldnotcontinue; hehadno which they ofanunsuccessfulattempttoraisemoney. presented inLilleaspart BylateFebruary, scarce, illnesswas alsorife. The company was forced tothrow together pieces, two performance communal self-sufficiency; in those early months living conditions were hard and money was and regulations. Copeau’s Catholicbeliefsledhimtoinsistonanalmostmonasticdevotion to insistenceonself-discipline,transposed itselfintoarigorous re-inforced by setsofrules various friends.concerned Copeaufeltadeepsenseofresponsibility forhisyoung company, andthis move had been relatively sudden and impulsive and consequently seemed more reckless to his Copeau hadmadethorough preparations forthesettingupof Vieux-Colombier, thisnew au’s resources, personal and the company finances were complicated and confusing. Although responsibility. Furthermore, money was –the short Vieux-Colombier haddrainedalotofCope- Within afew months, Copeau, assistedby Saint-Denis, haddrawn together anew smaller What Copeau appears nottohaveWhat Copeauappears momentum whichhadbuilt expectedwas up theinternal North America and was one of the original artistic directorate oftheRoyal artistic North andwas Shakespeare oneoftheoriginal America Company. Theatre School. Hehadaprofound influenceonthedevelopment ofactortraininginEurope and early 1930sandalongsidehisachievements asadirector healsoco-foundedtheinfluential Old Vic colleagues andtheyoung company achieved considerable success. HesettledinLondonthe When thetroupe was disbandedSaint-Denisfoundedthe Compagnie desQuinzewithhisformer School andfollowed CopeautoBurgundyin1924becomeakey memberofLesCopiaus. Michel Saint-Denis (1897–1971) was Copeau’s nephew. He became a student at the Vieux-Colombier Copeau (1879–1949) 105 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 religious sensefoundtheworkreligious ultimately toosecular. Whatever thereason, Copeau’s crushing his absenceproblematic for hisnaturalasceticism; itiseven possible that his increasingly strong might have foundtherelaxed thegroupin andeasy-goingatmosphere thattendedtopermeate he found it difficult to accept theachievements of the Copiauswithout his guiding presence; he theyoungpossibly troupe, he hadsoughttobring elatedby theirsuccess, backtoearth; perhaps there was nothingleft. Nothingfoundfavour inhiseyes’ (Villard-Gilles inRudlin1986: 110). still recalled the bitter disappointof this moment: ‘All our efforts, allour passions, allourjoy – withthe word:He finishedhiscritique ‘Dust’. Theactor Jean Villard-Gilles, several later,years andtheir troupe theirefforts listenedin astateofshockanddismaywork. asCopeauderided to hearCopeau’s ofthepiece: critique itwas devastating. Expectingnotesforimprovement, the work (seeRudlin1986: 109–110 forafulldescription). The nextday thecompany assembled which demonstratedthepower andeffectiveness ofchoralmovement, physical actingandmask- ofcollaborativemance was atriumph creation, anaccomplishedexampleofensemble acting house includingoldfriends, colleagues andCopeau. former For many watching, theperfor- with very littleinputfrom Copeauhimself. tookplacein front ofafull performance The first la Ville et des Champs (TheDanceofthe Town and ),the Fields which had beendevised andrehearsed and itspatron. tended to put a generally positive gloss on his absences and the relationship between the group was somewhat compromised by herintimaterelationship withCopeauand, possibly as a result, Bing kept record a faithful of the group’s work (Gontard 1974), but she clearly felt her position whowantedmembers todevelop thecompany’s work alongtheirown linesofinterest. Suzanne than train. Their loyalties must alsohave felt stretched between Copeauandthe senior company The younger studentsfoundthemselves having rather toadapttheincreasing needtoperform arations between the ‘master’ andhisstudentseventually created tensionswithinthecommunity. training alsocontinued, ledby ofthecompany. theoldermembers As indicatedabove, suchsep- the interim, andimprovise thecompany continued toexperiment around theirown ideas; the Copeau’s many lectures, readings and other professional activities for their financial survival. In essary; despitetheirrelative self-sufficiencythe young groupstill reliedupontheincome from became progressively more distancedfrom LesCopiausandtheirwork. The absenceswere nec- Grotowski (1933–1999)andthedirector oftheOdin Teatret, EugenioBarba(1936–). suchasthe Polish practitioners the basis of the work director of experimental later form Jerzy sense of identity, coherence and purpose, foreseeing the kind of communal practices that would general company tasksandresponsibilities. tothecompany’sAll ofthesefeatures contributed music anddesign. The days were long, thework demanding, witheachmemberalsotakingon group work intheafternoons. Sessionswere alsoorganisedtowork onmask-making, singing, general theatre classesinthemornings, followed by improvisation, games, rehearsal, devising and students revolved around aprogramme ofgymnastics andmimeexercises, voice exercises and then laterworked intotheperformances. The working day forthecompany andtheyoung werescenarios created anddeveloped through observation, mask-work andimprovisation, and scenesandone-actplays,short includingsongsanddances. andentertainments and Characters they were anddeveloping. acquiring would typicallycontainaprologue,The performances together inhaste, showed anincreasing processes confidenceinthe new skillsandartistic which to have tofindanew struggled role forhimselfwithinthisdemocraticand youthful project. who would tothepeople, tourarepertoire ofclassicanddevised performances Copeauseems There are several possible reasons forCopeau’s destructive response tohisstudents’ work: Things cametoaheadinMarch 1928, whenthecompany premiered anew show, LaDansede Protracted andincreasingly frequent absencesfrom Pernand-Verglesses meantthat Copeau Les Copiaus’ were life, earlyperformances collagesofrural which, althoughinitiallythrown Mark Evans Mark 106 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 theatre initiatives andpassingontheskillstechniquesthey hadacquired underCopeau. continued the work they had begun together and national regional – establishing important had finallyfirstphase;reached thefulfilmentofits former pupils overthenext three decadeshis Copiaus, had, itseems, reached itsnaturalconclusion. Copeau’s project torejuvenate thetheatre itself through stages including the retreat various transformed to Burgundy and the work of the tual demise. The Vieux-Colombier experiment, atoneendofthedecadeand whichhadstarted possible whichhadintheendbroughtenergy whichhadmadetheexperiment aboutitseven- an invigorating new energytothetheatre. Ironically itwas perhapsthevery rigour, passionand traditions of masked improvisation andpopulartheatre whichwere timely and whichoffered undertaken hadproved thatanew commediawas indeedpossible; they hadbrought backtolife had leftthem: ofrigour, commitment, passionandcreativity. The explorations thegrouphad students’ hisformer Copeau continued tosupport work, andthey never forgotthelegacieshe colleaguesretained andreal avery warm affectionforeachother– Copeau andhisformer des Quinze, ofMichelSaint-Denis. undertheleadership Although theways hadparted, both for goodin1929. The core ofLesCopiauswas tocontinue, astheCompagnie reforming collaborative (onceagainwithoutCopeau’s performances participation), but finallydispersed tinued foronemore year, addingnew productions totheirrepertoire andeven devising new dismissal marked awatershed momentinhisrelationship withLesCopiaus. The company con- talks andhiswriting, hisessay inparticular ‘Le Théâtre Populaire’ (Copeau1941), headvocated plays –theatres which offered modelsforsimple but profound dramaticexpression. Through his theatresof thegreat ofthepast– Ancient Greek dramaandtheEuropean medieval mystery For Copeau, theideaofa ‘popular’ theatre was strongly linked inthesocialvalue withhisfaith least, as John Rudlinsuggests, atheatre thathasarole inrevealing socialmorality. andconfirming meant thathenow believed thatany new populartheatre must theatre, alsobeareligious orat oftheatre’actual popularity (Rudlin1986: 116). The strength ofCopeau’s convictions religious actually lesstodowiththeseaspectsthan ‘his new questfortheatre-as-communion’ and ‘the across broad openspaces. However, asJohn Rudlinpointsout, Copeau’s interest atthistimewas with the position ofthe audience,experiment the use ofthetréteau, andthe movement ofactors use ofamedieval site, ofSantaCroce, thecloisters andtoexplore thepotentialsiteoffered for mount amystery play, SantaUlvina, atFlorence in1933. The production enabled Copeau make France and abroad; but he relied upon invitations to direct. opportunity was an offer to His first figurehead,now theatrical aninternational andcontinuedgive tolecture and readings bothin with thepossibilityofre-grouping the Vieux-Colombier company 1999: (Kurtz 132). Hewas by was shaped by the reality that he now lacked a troupe of his own, though he toyed occasionally seclusionandself-denial.and personal Inevitably hischoiceofdirection atthispointinhislife throughout hislifeinthetheatre, between Copeaustruggled public exhibitionandcelebration, leading Copeau eventually of hisdramaticexplorations. to compromise therigour Certainly, and hiscommitmenttotherediscovery ofdramaticexpression were profound andantithetical, travel next. Bentley (1950: Eric 50)suggeststhatthetensionsbetween Copeau’s Catholicism withhiscreativewrestled internally impulsesandhisbeliefs, unsure inwhichdirection heshould his conversion toCatholicism. For two years henow retreated from practicaltheatre work ashe implicationsof andartistic profound withthepersonal changeashecontinued tocometerms quite quicklyandunexpectedly. At thesametimehisinnerlifewas of goingthrough aperiod fromniscent ofhisdeparture the Vieux-Colombier, came theendofBurgundyexperiment Once againCopeau’s intodisarray. missionwas drifting theatrical personal In amannerremi- Popular theatre, the Comédie-Française, and sacred drama (1929–1949) Copeau (1879–1949) 107 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 theatre andmusic (Rudlin1986: 120). Japanese Nō extensively inFlorence, onhisexperiences onhisprevious work andthe ontheGreek chorus in 1943. oftheHospices deBeaune, tookplaceinthecloisters The performance anddrew re-working ofthe ‘mystery play’ form, LeMiracle duPain ( Doré perhaps encouragedhimtocontinue todirect. Copeau’s finalmajorproduction was afurther of MichelSaint-Denis’ successesinLondonmust have given pride, himcauseforgreat and 1986: 118), andtolive arelatively quietlifebasedoncemore inhisbeloved Burgundy. News againforPernand inorderleft Paris toescapethe ‘vanity andcabotinage’ (CopeauinRudlin 1999:the Resistance(Kurtz 145). This cannothave beenaneasydecisionforhim, andhe and the Vichy Government, whodemandedthatheputpressure onhissonPascal toquit successful andresigned several monthslater, authorities having outwiththeGerman fallen he mightbeable tobeanagentoflongoverdue changeandrenewal. Hewas onlypartially This was notapostthathewould naturallyhave sought, andthelikelihood isthathethought strong ifitwas leadership tomaintainavaluable culturalrole inthisdifficult environment. changed: France had surrendered to Germany, was Paris occupied, and French theatre needed of thekindchangesheproposed, andhisappointment was shelved. By1940much had mid-1930s, but having madehisconditionsclearhefoundthattheGovernment foughtshy the Comédie-Française. Hehadinitiallybeenapproached thetheatre inthe aboutrunning outbreak ofwar in1939. through were withthe art and popularconcerns tobebecomepressing ofcourse concerns for the1936Olympics). The complexissuesofnationalismandtheexpression ofnational different endsaccording tonationalpoliticalagendas(i.e. theNazimassmovement choirs mances, pageantsandrallieswere popularthroughout Europe atthistime, thoughputtovery dramas was ofasearchreligious foranew clearlypart unifyingrole fortheatre. Massperfor- andthreats tonationalculture.secularisation Copeau’s work inFlorence ontwo grand-scale ofmoraldangercausedby thepressuresurbanlife, aperiod ofmodern entering increasing the1930s.Europe during There was thatsocietywas acommonperception insomequarters unease decision that as wasa subconscious response to the increasing pervading spiritual soul-searching. onawidersocialandculturalscalewe hispersonal Certainly canunderstand Paris. This was andlastinglegacies. tobeoneofhismostimportant to respect and respond to the diversity of French culture as represented outside in the regions Occupationbut also rebuild andidentityatatimeofGerman asense ofFrench culturalpride fortheatrefor adecentralisedstructure in France, for a theatre thatcould function notonly to In 1940, fortheFrench nation, atatimeofcrisis Copeauwas offered thedirectorshipof Copeau’s toCatholicismwas return the result ofseveral andmuch personal complexfactors regime assisted in the deportation ofFrench Jews assistedinthedeportation regime totheconcentrationcamps. became thedominantvalues whichhesought topromote within the ‘new’ France. In1942his the Senateand Assembly. To thisextenthisvalues ofpatriotism, family, and hard religion work French colonialempire. Pétain control assumedpersonal ofthegovernment, effectively dismissing lead by Pétain, Marshall retained control ofthe south(itwas basedinthecityof Vichy) andthe allowedagreement control andwestern France, Germany ofnorth whilstthe Vichy Government, The Vichy inJune Government 1940. wasarmistice established aftertheFranco-German The h Theatre, of andon hisunderstanding Appia’s ideasoftherelationship between Mark Evans Mark 108 ), The MiracleoftheGoldenBread), Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 earlier hehadstagedhislastproduction. until his death on 20 October 1949 at the Hospice in Beaune – the very place where a few years him, andideas, plays abouthisexperiences andhecontinued andtopublish articles towrite up work as a director was minimal after the War, his desire did not leave for recognition as a writer riven andhumiliatedby toacountry unite andgivedefeatoccupation. purpose Though his playsof religious are inthissensetheactivities ofamansearching forthatwhichcouldheal, on populartheatre, atthehelmofComédie-Française, hisperiod andhisepicproductions a theatre cognoscenti. whichspeakstothecommonpeopleaswell astothetheatrical Hiswritings ofCopeau’smisunderstanding inhisnationalculture andofhiscommitmentto passionatepride seen asinsomesensesfavourable towards Pétain’s ideology. right-wing Suchaview represents a days.in his former There are suggestions (Added 1996) that Copeau’s at this time can be writings life. Hewas, asaresult, nolongerable totake on thesheervolume ofwork thathehadmanaged blame, he suffered (atherosclerosis) from of thickening his later for a large portion of the arteries passionforhisworkdriving whichmarked hisearlieryears. hisdeclininghealthwas Inpart to based onhisrevivals ofworks by such asShakespeare classicplaywrights andMolière. Insome to say of hisreputation asapowerful thatalargepart force inFrench andEuropean theatre was revivals ofclassicplays as he didtothework ofnew French playwrights. Infact, itwould befair the mostproductive phases ofhiscareer, tohis rigour Copeaubrought thesameexperimental which he believed the workscenic poetry dramatic authors. of the great informed Throughout its backonthepast. To dosowould andthepowerful betoignore thevital energies senseof Jacques Copeaurecognised thatarenewed French theatre couldnotand should notblindly turn policy was mostprofound. and itishere thathisinfluence onthefuture development oftheatre practiceandcultural aging, shaping and developing the creative abilities of others. In this he was supremely gifted, achieved successinboththeseareas, hisreal talentlay indirecting andteaching, inencour- from childhood). (an ambition he had cherished playwright actor or a great Though he enthusiasm itmightperhapsbethatlefthimtoodemanding ofhimselftobecomeagreat his studentsandfellow todothesame. actors ofhisdedicationand Ifthere isonecriticism he knew every aspectofthemakingtheatre from experience, personal andheencouraged from himselfandfrom thoseheworked with. Copeauliked totake oneverything himself– a lonelypath–hewas notamanwhofoundcompromise easy, andhedemandedthebest at peacehewas withhimself. Hisintensepassionfortheatre sometimesmeantthathetrod own vision; but, heldhimindeepaffection, althoughothers itisdifficulttotell how much conviction, figure able todraw acharismatic tohimandenthusethemwithhis others for purity, inhistheatre work. disciplineandrigour Copeauwas energyand amanofgreat guilt hemust have feltasaresult ofhisstrong Catholicbeliefsmay have intensified hiszeal resulted inachild; itispossible thatthepressure withthe ofreconciling hissexualenergies sensibility,moral andreligious –oneofwhich hehadseveral outsidehismarriage affairs impulsesthatmust havecontradictory created powerful tensionsforhim. Despiteastrong disappointments. andpersonal source ofsomehisinnerstruggles His lifewas driven by toCopeau’s forcesThe psychological thatcontributed andenergywere charisma alsothe Despite theexercises drama, inpopularreligious Copeauseemsby the1940stohave lostthe 3.2 Copeau’s inproduction: Fourberies Les ideas Copeau (1879–1949) Le patronLe 109 de Scapin de

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 of onehisproductions. stagedirections andrepresents perhapsthe closest weoriginal cangettoatextualrecreation carefully annotated edition of the play (Molière 1951) provides details of some of Copeau’s Scapin toenable ustoexamine theproduction Louis insufficientdetail–particular Jouvet’s reviews, andtestimoniessurvive photographs for Copeau’s productions de ofLesFourberies Copeau’s influence, visionary relies lessonhis contribution.own personal Adequate records, much ofinterest inthelaterwork ofLesCopiaus; but thework after1924, whilstitreflects andhisideas fortherejuvenationdirection andperformance ofthetheatre. There is certainly de Scapinprovides uswithaninsightintothesignificantlinksbetween Copeau’s work in . and theexplorationofskillstraditionsItalian commediadell’arte development ofimprovisation withinrehearsal andtraining, theuseofmasksintraining, commencement ofthe Vieux-Colombier School, talent, ofnew theatrical thenurturing the ambitions:Copeau isable torealisetimemany forthefirst ofhismostcherished thesecure forbothCopeauandhiscompany. successfulperiod and critically that thisperiod Itisduring the production’s fourandahalfyear life-spanthusencompassesprobably the mostproductive May 1922, when it was presented in the open air outside the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris; Garrick Theatre inNew York on27November 1917andremained intherepertoire until13 ( central inthedevelopment ofhis ideas andpractices, deScapin thelatecomedyLesFourberies Molière’s hiscareer, plays atsome pointduring but oneproduction canbeseenas inparticular to achieve withinaliving, theatre. andsociallypurposeful artistic Copeauproduced mostof Molière’s lifeandwork, aswe have already seen, represented somuch ofwhatCopeauaspired instance; however, ifthere was oneconstantlodestarguidingCopeau’s career itwas Molière. playwright, contemporary any oneparticular asStanislavsky was with Anton Chekhov for us usefulinsightsintohislaterwork inBurgundy. Copeauwas never closelyassociatedwith 1999;(Kurtz Rudlin1986). Equallynotallofhisproductions withthe Vieux-Colombier give Brothers Karamazov), andLePacquebot ( Several ofhisproductions (e.g. LaNuitdesRois ( bodyofworka largeandvaried makes thetaskofpickingoneproduction very difficult. direc tion, produced of147productions something intheregion (includingrevivals). Such forBurgundyin1924,1913 andhisdeparture the Vieux-Colombier Theatre, underCopeau’s Copeau’s career. Between UneFemme Tuée parlaDouceur( assault onthisculturaldominance. Molière andtheclassicFrench dramatists, Copeauwas toattemptnothinglessthanafull-scale over two hundred years, the Comédie-Française had regarded itself as the home’‘spiritual of respects themotivation forCopeauinmountingrevivals was clearer andmore immediate. For The Tricks ofScapin). The playby the was performed first Vieux-Colombiercompany inthe This chapterwillexamineakey production from oneofthemostproductive of periods briefly held by Copeauin1940. briefly writers. modern The director-ship oftheComédie-Françaiseisastateappointment; thepostwas suchasMolière,wrights RacineandCorneille, though ithasalsoproduced notable productions of seen it divide and re-unite. Its reputation is based largely on its productions of classicFrench play- world. Founded afterMolière’s deathin1673, ithassurvived whichhave several crises historical The Comédie-Française isthenationaltheatre ofFrance, andtheoldestnationaltheatre inthe Tenacity) are already covered insomedetailelsewhere Mark Evans Mark 110 Twelfth Night), A Woman KilledwithKindness)in Les FrèresKaramazov ( Les Fourberies Les Fourberies The

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 (The BrothersKaramazov), which was revived afew monthslater, didbetterbox office–it was andemotionally intenseadaptationofDostoyevsky’satmospheric novel, LesFrèresKaramazov staging, by fascinated thetréteaunu, andengaged by thecast’s playfulness anddirectness. Copeau’s something more weighty andprofound. were andamused by Mostcritics theplay’s intrigued sidered too insignificant a mediumforanaudiencewho hadcome expecting too light and farce New York. wereAudience numbers smallerthanexpected, perhapsbecausethepiecewas con- author’s translation). isinthetraditionalcategory,Les Fourberies itisnotrevolutionary’ (CopeauinMolière 1951: 21, as rediscovering itsessentialprinciples. To make thisclearhedeclared that ‘This production of production’s originality, Copeauwas adamantthathewas notsomuch revolutionising theatre made physically present theenergies, rhythms andplayfulness ofthetext. However despitethe whichembodiedthewordspossessed was anabilitytodraw performances and outofhisactors reborn!’ exclaimedonereviewer (John Corbin, TheTimes, 2December1917). What Copeau with avigour, before – physicality hadnotexperienced andplayfulness whichcritics ‘Molière broke away from thereverential andtired traditionsoftheComédie-Françaisetopresent theplay atre, Molière had also acquired a similar status withinthe French theatre. Copeau’s production ofactingwasand theart always comingintoknowledge andnever fullyachieved. doing, absorbthemselves inthetask–process fortheactor, ofactingthusbecameajourney without embellishment. Furthermore, shouldpourtheirinterest theactors intowhatthey were therefore toapplythemselves tothetaskofembodyingcharacters’ whole-heartedly actions, and thework shouldbeundertaken withaslittlefusspossible. Itwas thedutyofactors be performed. job–ataskthattheactorhadtoundertake Acting was aserious ‘as besthecan’ – also read itasanindicationofthe ‘attitude’ withwhichCopeauintendedthattheplay should one level offered asasimplegesture ofmodesthumilityinfront ofanew audience, but we can something hedidnotknow theday before’ 1999: (CopeauinKurtz 53). This statementison hisjobasbesthecan,simply amanwhoperforms iteachday, learning andeachday discovering reveals hiscommitmenttothesearch forwhatisdirect, simpleandself-renewing intheatre: ‘I am the production represented tothebasicsoftheatre areturn andacting; Copeau’s own statement work as a whole, their performances. underpinning On the other hand, and to the principles aware oftheneedtoexplainwhatcompany were abouttopresent – itsrelationship totheir which eachmemberofthecompany announcedtheirnameandresponsibility. Copeauwas very in themidstofwar’ 1999: (BinginKurtz 53). Bing’s was greeting followed by anintroduction in mance was introduced by SuzanneBing, theaudience, whogreeted offering ‘asmilefrom France propaganda; itwas the intendedtowarm audiencetotheFrench people–theperfor- American chosen fortwo very specificpurposes. Ontheonehand, theplay represented apieceofcultural eventof suchanimportant asthe Vieux-Colombier’s seasoninNew first York, but the play was sight itseemsastrangechoiceforCopeautomountrevival ofsuchalightpieceatthestart the Palais Royal (thehomeofMolière’s company) in1671, two years before hisdeath. At first de Scapinisone of Molière’sLes Fourberies late three-act ; at in Paris it was performed first The Vieux-Colombier’s production first oftheplay metwithagenerallypositive reception in In much thesameway thatShakespeare had, by thistime, the- becomeiconicwithinBritish without any laborious imitationofthepast. without any laborious platform, litlike ruthlessly aboxing ring, oftheCommediadell’Arte itrecaptured thespirit In 1920Copeaugave aproduction deScapin by ofLesFourberies Molière. Setonabare Les Fourberies (The Scapin de Les Scapin Molière by Tricks ) of Copeau (1879–1949) 111 (Saint-Denis 1960: 22)

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 and of the public pageantry ofCopeau’sand ofthepublic pageantry latersacred plays. Paris, canbeseeninhindsightasapre-cursorofthe ‘booth’ ofLesCopiaus theatre performances oftheplay inMayopen-air performance 1922, of inthePlaceSaint-SulpiceLatinQuarter medieval theatre, system. asacentralelementinsimpleanduncluttered staging Equally, the by LesCopiaus. Itintroduced whichCopeauborrowed thetréteaunu(bare platform) from the ,of thecommediadell’arte anexplorationwhichwas toculminateinthe ‘new Commedia’ created creativepersonal journey. Itmarked akey stageinhisexplorationoftheskillsandtechniques a physical presence. deScapinwas production LesFourberies alsoanimportant forCopeau’s own better expression could there be of Copeau’s specialtalent for making the text come alive with have stagesets. onthestepssoyouThey seethewords sitright ’ 1999: (citedinKurtz 84). What hisamazement,friend that,, afterseeingLesFourberies ‘ mon vieux, you know what? They don’t relates Kurtz howrice Georges Vitray, oneofCopeau’s actors, overheard aworker express toa missedwas thevaluethe critics ofCopeau’s work fortheworking-class theatre-goer. Mau- Copeau’s scepticismthatthepiecewas significantenoughtomerit a lingering attention. What were critics The Paris more receptive tohisinnovations, thoughtheircommentsstillbetrayed belief intheproduction, andalsoperhapstofinetune itinmore sympatheticsurroundings. the company’s newtoParis. seasonontheirreturn hispersonal Nodoubthewishedtoreassert shaken by thereaction inNew York. of deScapinaspart Hedecidedtorestage LesFourberies or a ‘national treasure’. toany figure forwhomMolière hadbecomelittlemore thananhistorical a pleasantsurprise was woven through withasimplicity, freshness, andvigourwhichmust have imagination been more thanwiththebrainorvoice’acted withthebodyfar 1999: (Kurtz 53). The production Copeau hadadvocated hislecture sostrongly tourtheprevious during winter: ‘Here was aplay illustrationofthekindactor-basedtheatre which animportant deScapinoffers Fourberies more inlinewiththepopulartastesofNew York theatre-going public. Nonetheless, Les Les Fourberies deScapinisathree-act proseLes Fourberies , setinNaples. Below isanoutlineoftheplot: Copeau’s beliefintheplay inrelation tothecompany’s anditsimportance missionwas not ‘caught out’. Nonetheless must beannulled,Argante threatens thatthemarriage despiteScapin’s plotting that Argante willforgive hissonifhethinksthat was enoughtobe simplyunfortunate unknown girl. by ScapinarguesthatOctavio theyoung was woman’s forced intomarriage family, Scapin and Sylvestre the wrath of to face Argante, who has just heard of his son’s to an marriage to hisfather’s questioning. Despite Scapin’s tutoring,father enters, Octavio offashis runs leaving love foreach other. to help the lovers, Scapin agrees by hestarts teachingOctavio how tostandup to Octavio is actually Géronte’s daughterHyacinthe, andthey enters bothproclaim theirundying young woman, three days ago. whom he has only just married The young woman, who unbeknown Léandre’shis friend love forayoung gypsygirl, Zerbinette, andhisown affectionsforanother poor toScapinforadvice andhelp.despair Octavio turns thesituationtoScapin, Hedescribes explaining is returning, him off toHyacinthe, eagertomarry Géronte. theabsent daughterofhisoldfriend In The young Octavio thenews panicswhenhehears from hisvalet Sylvestre thathisfather, Argante, 1 Act The play: a synopsis of the a synopsis plotThe play: Mark Evans Mark 112

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 Act 2 Act lay hisplotandnow Sylvestre recruits asaplayer inhisscheme. appeals tothedamagethatmightbedonehisown andhisson’s reputation. Scapinhasbegunto servant. Géronte reveals and leaves that he isthe father to search forhisson. Zerbinette confesses to of money, andhow theyoung man’s was outofalargesummoney foolishfather tricked by a with her, how the gypsies she was with would with her without being paid a large sum not part is laughingatwhathashappenedto her, andtellshimthestory: abouthow ayoung manfellinlove away.Scapin runs withScapin’s Géronte isfurious trick, but ismetstraightaway by Zerbinette. She Géronteand giving agood hiding!Eventually Géronte cantake nomore and getsoutofthesack, whereabouts. Hethenpretends tobehit whileprotecting hismaster’s father, whilstbeatingthe sack andinterrogatesScapin pretends himselfover tobeamemberofthevillainousfamily hismaster’s tohelpGéronteoffers escapethewife’sfamily byhidinghiminasack. OnceGéronte isinthesack have that himkilledbecausethey thinkitishis fault annulled.Argante wants themarriage Scapin leaving Scapin to meet Géronte. ScapintellsGéronte that Octavio’s wife’s now family want to suggests thatitistheupsanddowns of love andlifethatmake both enjoyable. gooffThe others hand inmarriage. Zerbinette tellsHyacinthe thatshedoesnotknow whoherparents are. Scapin Zerbinette expresses Léandre’s herresolution thatsheshallnotreturn love untilsheissure ofhis Hyacinthe and Zerbinette are brought together for safety, under the care of Sylvestre and Scapin. 3 Act the way hehastreated him. the money. Scapingives themoney tothetwo lovers andswears togethisrevenge onGéronte for five hundred guineasinransom. Gérontefalls forScapin’s too and, tricks reluctantly, hands over let himknow thathissonhasbeenkidnappedby from sailors a Turkish galley who are demanding his attention to Géronte,Scapin then turns pretending to search desperately for him in order to he findshim. Thisconvinces Argante, who, assoonSylvestre has left,gives Scapinthemoney. behind Scapin and listens and watches as the disguised Sylvestre shows how Argante will die when from Scapinof hearing Argante’s reluctance topay upthreatens tokillhim. Argante, terrified, hides two hundred pounds. Sylvestre enters, disguisedasavillainousmemberofthewife’s family, and wheedles andconnives, everything trying toget topayArgante toagree thesumOctavio requires, ofOctavio’sthe family wifeare willingtofixaquickannulment foralargesumofmoney. Scapin, he engageswith Argante, togethisson’s annulled. whoisstilldetermined marriage Scapinliesthat the cashthey needtosolve theirproblems. Scapinthentellsthetwo lovers tofetchSylvestre while names andinsultshehasjustbeencalledbefore tohelpbothOctavio heagrees andLéandre raise her forever. Léandre now hastobegScapinhelphimout, andScapinmakes himtake backallthe Léandre thatgypsieshave hisbeloved Zerbinetteandthatunlesshepays thematoncehewilllose misdemeanours, but nottotellingGéronte aboutLéandre’s romance. Carlo, arascal, andtells enters threatens Scapin with a beating unless he owns up to what he has done – Scapin owns up to several has goneon. OnmeetingOctavio andScapin, Léandre accuseshisvalet ofbetraying him. He fronted bywho, hisfather before heleaves forhishouse, demandstoknow aboutwhat thetruth that Géronte shouldlooktothebehaviour ofhisown son, Léandre. Léandre andiscon- enters plansfortheiroff-spring,riage blaming eachother’s badparenting. Arganteleaves having hinted Argante andGéronte bicker witheachotherover thecauseofproblems besettingtheirmar- Copeau (1879–1949) 113 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 popular andaccessible. the needtoprovide ideasthatwas anintroduction staging also tohisnew andexperimental attempt to reclaim the popular groundon his own terms. No doubt Copeau toobelieved in tocompetewiththecommercial successoftheItaliantroupestruggled inParis, Scapinwas an is someevidence thatMolière produced reasons Scapinformore –hiscompany strategic had foundations onwhichhebuilt hismore ambitiousandinnovative plays. Onanotherlevel there and value ofsuch traditionalskillsandknowledge, skills and knowledge ofthe thatare part actor (Molière himselfplayed Scapin); and, itisaclearacknowledgement oftheimportance two-fold: thisplay andan isanunashameddemonstrationofhisskillandwitasaplaywright for ‘escape’ or away’.‘run Molière’s andpresenting thisplay intentioninwriting was thus within thecommediarepertoire; he isacraftycharacterwhosenamecomesfrom theItalian with Molière’s company). ScapinisthesonofBrighella, awell-established stockcharacter (asuccessfulItaliantroupetraditions oftheItaliancommediadell’arte shared thePalais Royal the Romanplaywright , which Molière knew well, and andalsodraws onthetricks ché-ridden, nonethelesshasalongandhealthy pedigree. of The plotisbasedonthePhormio narrative structure, audiencesseemalittlecontrived whichmay andcli- tosomemodern the thwarted lovers happiness, findtrue thewilyservant outwitshismaster. Thiskindof lovers, lost children, scoundrels – in conventional lines – the lost child is rediscovered, story 1990: 142). Copeau’s interest inMolière’s by was farces awiderinterest short motivated primarily that, ‘It was undertheinvocation ofMolière thatthe Vieux-Colombier was founded’ (Copeau values whichhewas seekingtore-establish inFrench theatre. Copeau was latertopronounce director/actor/manager whichhehimselfplayed withinhiscompany, arepresentative ofthe was aprofound andlastingsource ofinspirationforhim: an exampleoftherole ofplaywright/ For Copeau, thedecision toproduce any play by Molière couldnever beaccidental. Molière Notice the plot structure. and servants,The play – masters uses stock characters fathers, rich and everyone goesinforthewedding feast. mason’s hammer, and seeking forgiveness for his sins. Argante and Géronte forgive him everything inScapin,Zerbinette ishisown long-lostdaughter!Carlobrings dying, injured by mortally afalling He shows abraceletwhichthegypsiesalsotook– Argante recognises thebraceletandrealises that declare thatthegypsieshave justrevealed thatshecamefrom Naplesandfrom a well-to-do family. for laughingathispredicament, tohisson. but hestillrefuses toletherbemarried Léandre to enters madethedesired matchhimself.the matchashissonhasinfact toGéronte Zerbinetteapologises to his wifewhatever thinks, hisfather married father ismore thanhappy onlytofindthat his with with events himthattheoldmenare andwarns after him. Octavio hewillremain tellshisfather Argante andGéronte, but happy, surprised gotoseeHyacinthe. Sylvestre Scapinuptodate brings –withouthisconsentbecausethey hadnotbeenable tofindhim.that hisdaughterismarried had changedhisname. thatGéronte’s Sheconfirms daughterisnearathand, but shealsoannounces his child’s enters. oldnurse toseekoutGéronte, Shehasbeentrying unable tofindhimbecausehe his secretmarriage, first whomhehasnotseenformany years, hasbeenlostatsea. Atthatmoment hoodwinked themboth. Géronte alsobewails thenews hehasjustreceived thathisdaughterfrom Sylvestre thatshehas ‘spilt thebeans’. Argante andGéronte meettogether, realising thatScapinhas Why did Copeau choose this play? Mark Evans Mark 114

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 creative’ (CopeauinMolière 1951: 28, author’s translation). de Scapinakindofplayful elasticitywhichcommunicates, whichallows theactortobetruly it soattractive asa ‘play-space’ fortheactor’s imagination: ‘There isinawork like LesFourberies rhythm anddynamics oftheactor’s movement. Infact, itistheplay’s very simplicitythatmakes The play provided aperfectarena inwhichCopeaucould maximisetheexpressive effectofthe but alsorepresent thepoeticsoftheatre inaction, ofourholdonlifeitself. andindeedthefragility Copeau, features offarce, theparticular andofthisplay inparticular, are notjust comicdevices the masterheisbeating; thepretence must beplayed andbelievability. onaknife-edgeofrisk For disaster. failure,The actorplaying withthepossibility of Scapinmust flirt ofbeingcaughtout by timing toachieve itsfullcomiceffect, always ontheedgeofcollapseand balancedperilously fly. and the imagination body transform The playfarce and is also a relies uponpace, rhythm and Scapin’s oftheactor–we are seebothwhatisandnot, thusthetricks tricks we seethe (how of theimagination and thelogic canIplay withthissituationormovement). but from ofthebody(whatmovement thelogic couldfollow from thepositionIaminnow) and movements sceneflow inthisparticular notfrom asimplepsychological reading ofthetext, servant –we seetheactorplaying arogue playing aloyal servant. ofScapin’sThe logic actions protecting hismasterfrom avillain, andtheoldmangettingkicked inthesackby thesame tomake.Molière istrying At oneandthesametimewe seeScapinbehave asaloyal servant to believe sophistication–but andlackinginpsychological suchareading missesthepointthat can be. To thereader itseemslittlemore than aclumsypieceoftraditionalstagebusiness, hard for instance, ispure theatre, oftheperformer thetricks illustratinghow andfantastical magical of what is spoken.literal interpretation Scapin’s to deceive ruse Géronte into a painful beating, oftheactionmay howlogic the actormust thanany bemore grasp theinternal important order toread inthisway, – theactorrequires oftheplayful anunderstanding possibilitiesoftheatre ofatext(andcentral totheskillsofactor).dramatic textastheatreiscentraltothestaging In critic,is notimmediatelyevident totheliterary ortotheacademic, but thattheabilitytoread a then be said to be ‘obedient’ to the text. text Copeau suggests that such a reading of a theatrical discovering andtranslatingthemintoaction. suchindicators Itisinthissensethatanactorcan fertile’ (ibid.)approach fortheactor. theactor’s Hethusunderstood jobinrelation tothetaskof wedded to the idea, found the notion of reading a text he in certainly this way an ‘agreeable and life, miseenscènewithinthework there (ibid.: isanecessary itself’ 144). Though notcompletely movement, gesture, style, rhythm, character, andatmosphere: ‘When atextiscreated fordramatic but were aswell, actors fortheactor, indicators embeddedintotheirwriting subtlesuggestionsof toyed such as Molière with the idea that playwrights and Shakespeare, who were not just writers performing, ofthestage. tousetheirskillswithdelightandcelebratethetheatricality Copeau oracademicinterest. literary in the auditorium. thathisrejuvenated Four years earlierCopeau hadwritten theatre would The proscenium arch was opened up, allowing thestagespace toconnectmore directly with oration and left simple, grey and empty, (le tréteau) placed centre-stage. with a small platform existing stagespacewas transformed. of itsconventional wasThe stagesurround stripped dec- For Copeau’s production in1917attheGarrick first ofLesFourberies Theatre, New York, the their roots inthelively ratherthanby andpopulartraditionsofthecommediadell’arte any is a playful piece of writing –itinvites deScapinisaplayfulLes Fourberies theactortoenjoy pieceofwriting theactof Copeau (1879–1949) The stage space The Staging 115 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 an ebbandflow around ofactionandcharacters thecentralfocuspoint. on stage. The action would, in this manner, seem to ‘wash’ against the actor would needtoenterseveral momentsbefore theircue, ineffect ‘chasing’ theactionalready and exitscouldnolongerbeasstraightforward –the asopeningorclosingadoorinstageflat totheirplaying.bol ofthesimpleauthenticitythey soughttobring Onapracticallevel, entrances created different levels forthestageaction, acentralfocusfortheaudience’s gaze, as well asasym- most direct reference conventions. totheearlier staging For the Vieux-Colombier company it Europe. The raisedplatform, traditionallyusedtoimprove visibilityfortheaudience, was the much foodforthought. thosein thecompanygiving suchasSuzanneBing, whowere later to teachintheschool, their abilitiestocreate character, place, timeandmoodwiththe simplestofresources; nodoubt impetusforthecompany’sa particular withmimetechniques. early experiments Itchallenged place, timeandatmosphere. The production deScapin, ofLesFourberies inthisrespect, provided were required to use all their skills to summon up not only the illusion of character, but also of take ofNew totheheart York theatre. With onlythesimplestprops andstaging, theactors stage, an orange velvet curtain. This was a controversial and innovative to experiment staging Knapp 1988: 208). The audiencesaw onlythebare stage, theplatform, and, atthebackof this meant that: ‘The stage isalready action, to the action’ form it gives material (Copeau in Between thefront two setsofstepswere several cubeswhichactedasabench. For Copeau, four steps, two ofthe staircases beingatthefront and one on eachoftheotherthree sides. large, square piecesofwood, raisedontrestles. Itwas accessedby five staircases eachwith the audience’s attention to their movement and footwork. consisted of four The platform werestage and the raised platform intended to emphasise the presence of the actor, bringing require abare stage(CopeauinColeandChinoy 1970)andnow, finally, here it was. Thebare sport (Ruffini1995).sport Copeau would have been aware oftheassociations he wasdrawing onand culture; boxing ofmalephysical was education, apopularform andanequallypopularspectator politan New York audience. hadaspecialappealwithinearlytwentieth-centuryThe boxing ring ofthetréteaunu,presence oftheraisedplatform would have hadsomeresonance foracosmo - focus, andofexcitement. of risk The suggestionofaboxing ring, presumably enhanced by the the lighting was bright, intense, and overhead – creating atonceanimage of opennessand stage ofthe1920revival as litlike‘ruthlessly aboxing ring’ (Saint-Denis1960: 22), implyingthat pretence.mination to clear the stage space of unnecessary the Michel Saint-Denis describes drewLes Fourberies onCraig’s and Appia’s innovations, andwere alsodriven by hisown deter- recognised thevalue ofadiscreet, simpleandunobtrusive useoflighting. Hislightingplansfor However, by thetimehehadcompleted his New York toParis, tourandreturned hehad clearly rejected theuseofstagemachinery: hismeetingswiththemafew years earlier.ing withbothmenduring hehad Inhisearlyarticles Copeau hadread abouttheideasof Appia andCraighadnodoubt discussedideasforlight- The staging drewThe staging directly onCopeau’s knowledge ofthebooththeatres ofsixteenth-century means falling somehowmeans falling or anotherintotricks. Oldornew, we repudiate themall. tocanvas, importance ing usurped paintedcardboard, –always lighting arrangements alwaysBeing enthusiastic about the inventions or electricians - means giv of engineers Mark Evans Mark Lighting 116 (Copeau in Guicharnaud 1967:(Copeau inGuicharnaud 301–302) tréteau in waves, creating Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 but hewas nolessinfluentialin revolutionising stage. lightingdesignforthemodern of theaudience’s presence). Copeau’s agendawas notpolitical, andhiswork isnotaswell known, more overtly politicised, language(simplestaging, lighting, theatrical bright acknowledgement playwright/director was tomake ofhisown, techniqueswhichtheGerman part of thestaging Several to Brecht’s years prior earliest work as a director, Copeau was already employing some overhead oftheplay’s lightingalsohelpedtoestablish theheatandbrilliance Neapolitansetting. of footlightsmeantthatthemelodramaticeffectunder-lightingactors was avoided. The nating themovement andemphasisingthisabove andactionsoftheactors allelse. The removal playing space. These overhead lightshad the effectof flooding thestagewith light, vividly illumi- box andsuspendeddirectly structure oflightsconcealedwithinatriangular also anarray over the Jouvet above designedandinstalledasetofrevolving mountedatcorners thespace, lanterns and did away withtheconventional footlightsandmadeinnovative useofnew lightingtechnology. boxer.modern no doubthewas withthelithenimble notaverse athleticismofthe toaligninghisperformers range ofGéronte’s emotions. Hecombinedahumorous portrayal ofphysical decrepitude with early days ofthecompany. Jouvet was aboldactor, capable fullrein ofgiving tothe complete ‘The Crowning ofMolière’. of a company performance,insertion after the New York opening, devised spectacle of a short asalivingalso beunderstood homage toMolière, strengthened by further aninterpretation his was thecreative andorganisationallinch-pinforhiscompany. can Inthissensehisperformance rolebetween modelwould himselfandhishistorical nothave beenlostonhim; like Molière, he believed thatMolière himselfhadplayed attheplay’s thepart performance. first Theconnection 15 December 1917). Acting the role significance for Copeau, of Scapin had a particular as he had that hisperformance ‘smoothness’ aswell as andlithevigour’‘dexterity (TheLiterary Digest, At thesametime, Copeau’s ofrhythm understanding andthedynamics ofmovement meant talks withhisface, feetandhandsaswell aswithhisvoice’ (Brooklyn Eagle, 28November 1917). actor’s bodyhadbecomeexpressive: ‘at onceanathlete, aharlequin, amimicandcomedian. He totheimpression thatevery contributed complete physicality inchofthe oftheperformance mood’ swiftness ofchanging of touchandmercurial Sun , (Morning 28November 1917). The were by critics struck theplasticityofCopeau’sContemporary performance, by ‘its lightness success: it offwithenormous half hisage. Remarkably, given theotherpressures onCopeauasleaderofthecompany, hepulled required mobility, agility, comictimingandimprovisatory skillswhichwould challengeanactor Copeau was years old. thirty-eight Hewas inaclassicfarce, takingonamajorpart which apart ofScapinwasThe part played by Copeau. inNew performance Bythetimeoffirst York, For thenew seasonin1920, Paris CopeauandJouvet installedanew lightingsystemwhich The part ofGéronteThe part was played by LouisJouvet, oneofCopeau’s closestcolleaguesinthe accomplishing his ends in the most theatrically perfectwayaccomplishing hisendsinthemosttheatrically possible. time tothinkupnew tricks, new deceits, acrobatic stunts, androgueries, thereby ing here andthere, withlongandlithestrides, stoppingbut forseconds–justenough store ofenergyandimagination. Hewas movement incarnate, cascadingmotility, leap- Copeau brought outScapin’s turbulence, dynamism, andseeminglyendlesslyrefreshing Copeau (1879–1949) The actors The 117 (Knapp 1988: 211) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 breath . the movement in Copeau’s technique was breath: ‘To read a text, you must have sensitivity to the final conceptsforthemise-en-scène (Felner 1985: 42). The elementthatthenlinked thetextand text, sometimes forlongperiods, before drawing together elementsfrom his theirplay toform of how thescenerequired itselftobe played. Copeauallowed toimprovise theactors around the scenes, improvising andplayinguntilitmatchedthedirector’s withthestaging andactors’ senses easy toputintowords, theemphasisinCopeau’s rehearsalswas ongettingup andenactingthe and ofenjoyment andplayfulness. isnotsomething whichis Becausethiskindof understanding intoplay their to bring ‘sense oftheatre’ understanding –asense whichisacombinationofcritical expression combinedwithintrospection andintuitive understanding. The actor and director have living intheplay. Inthissense, Copeau’s actingandrehearsal ‘technique’ isoneofplayful physical gress, itbecomesclearwhatisworking andwhatisnot, are whattheactors findingthatis vitaland through oftheactor’s theinterplay sensibility. techniqueandartistic As therehearsal readings pro - the process assimilar towoodcarving isrevealed –thelatentshape andstructure and gradually but sensitively itsoverall inorder tograsp atmosphere, moodandemotionaldynamics. Hedescribes emotionality, spatialityanddynamics. This meantthattheactorneededtoread theplay thoroughly simply acollectionof characters, but rather awork whichhasitsown physicality, ofart particular without whichnoamountofanalysiscouldmake ortheplay thepart live. For Copeau, aplay isnot alism, ratherhewas advocating arecognition oftheactor’s oftheimportance instinctualresponses, In rejecting heavy-handed textanalysisCopeauwas ofanti-intellectu- notpromoting someform analysis canparalysetheactor’s naturalinstinctsforactionandplay: of theatre hewas seekingtocreate. As Stanislavsky was eventually torealise himself, toomuch ised Stanislavsky’s System, this was not an approach which he felt was for the kind appropriate Though Copeauwas probably aware textualanalysiswhichcharacter - ofthekindrigorous ofScapinwas in1922thepart playedthe timeofopenairperformance by Georges Vitray. of the continued improvised todevise short prologues forthe play, allofwhichdrew onthetraditions ofclassicalcomedythey hadgainedfromexperience the earlierShakespeare production. Copeau La NuitdesRois(Twelfth Night)–joinedthecastinParis, withthemtherich nodoubtbringing Romain Bouquet, André BacqueandGeorges Vitray in –allofwhomhadpreviously performed andwithwhomhecouldworkwhom hecouldtrust inthefuture. SuzanneBing, Robert Allard, tour hadmarked watershed forthecompany, animportant revealing toCopeauthoseactors actress ofZerbinette. Janealsocontinued inthepart Lory Butthelongandstressful New York theredesign oftheGarrick supervising Theatre fortheNew York opening. was achieved alongsidehismany othersignificant responsibilities withinthecompany, including tothesuccessofproductionimportant asthatofCopeau. Remarkably, Jouvet’s actingsuccess Several New York picked out Jouvet’s critics as equally accomplished and equally performance a convincing display ofGéronte’s emotionsofgreed, rapidlychanging fear, angerandshame. Both of these actors performed the same parts whentheproduction thesameparts was revived performed Both oftheseactors inParis. The the pulseofcharacterorplay totheactor, justlike adirector. talent whichoneeitherhasornot, andthisinstinctalonegives thesense, therhythm, It isn’t todoanalysisgetintoacharacterorplay. necessary Itisaninstinctora Rehearsing and acting: the actor’s approach Fourberies to Les Scapin de .commedia dell’arte His own direct involvement in the play diminished until by gradually . . onespeaksandacts asonebreathes’ (CopeauinMolière 1951: 24, author’s translation). Mark Evans Mark (Copeau inMolière1951: 19, author’s translation) 118 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 through ‘the mostcareful thought’ (New York Evening Post, 28November 1917). with onlythemore perceptive recognising thatthesequalitieswere critics achieved withand nothing more thanapparent exuberance, boisterousness andcarelessness intheperformances, the dynamicsofaplay-text caneasilybeunderestimated; several New York perceived observers in thetext. Itisnotimagined’ (ibid.). This kindofsensitive of andsophisticatedunderstanding of theebbandflow andoftheplay, ofthepart ifthey were opento receive it: ‘Thisdanceis strating to the young company could provide how a writer thesensitive actorwith indications detail. Herealised thatsuchaplay asakindofscore couldbeinterpreted fortheactor–demon- deScapinenabled Copeautoexploreeries anddevelop in this kindofapproach toperformance meaningful and given intention, they become something approaching choreography. their movements, gestures, actions. as these physical In so far elements are then organised, made municated notthrough thetextorthrough thewords, but through thephysicality oftheactor– The revealing word here is ‘feelingly’ –Copeauimpliesthattheemotionalityofplay iscom- made ontheactortobeadancer, feelinglytomanifestthisphysical quality’ (Copeau1990: 144). the actortoengagephysically andthesituations: withthecharacters ‘There isaphysical necessity ters’ physical pulse. Copeaubelieved thatMolière’s plays containedanimplicitrequirement for through actionandgesture. What isdemandedasensitivity torhythm andplay, tothecharac- psychology, asitisevident, insofar iswornonthesleeve andexistslessthrough subtextthan recognisable anddemandnoprofound insightsfrom psychological theactors. The character’s de Scapin. The play doesnotrequire deepanddetailedanalysis; anditsplotare itscharacters easily extension ofhisown arm. or closeit, taptheground, trailitbehindhim, pointwithit, useitasaweapon, oreven asan the actorwithameansofexpression ofcharacter, intentionandmood. The actorcouldopen developed by Jouvet andCopeauasasimpleway toindicatetheheatofNaplesandprovide of Géronte. The parasol was text, itselfaninnovation –itisnotspecifiedintheoriginal but was ining theway inwhichanumbrella orparasolwas usedtodevelop theplaying ofthecharacter out –onabare stageprops have anextraeloquence. We canlookatanexampleofthisby exam- to play andCopeau was insistentthattheirintroduction intoascenehadtobecarefully worked coherence andquality. Inaplay deScapineven suchasLesFourberies props hadtheirspecialpart which thecompany ‘decoded’ theplay from words intoactionswhilstmaintainingitsessential how effectively everything hangstogether. Rehearsing was apatientandcareful procedure in such problems Copeaupreferred togobackonthesceneandmodifyactions, checking importance. Onewrongruin the gesture orinflectioncan overall effect. Ratherthanignore standing oftheactor’s art. Thus, forCopeaueven ofascenehasitsvalue thesmallestpart and This visionoftherehearsal andactingprocess was aninclusive one, built onanholistic under- This approach toactingandrehearsal was clearlywell matchedtoaplay suchasLesFourberies SCAPIN GÉRONTE himasaresultGéronte ofupsettingOctavio’s facing aboutthedangers bride’s family. In pairs, look at the scene below (Act 3 Scene 2, author’s translation) in which Scapin is talking to head tomy toes, and. . . whatwas that! :

I don’t know, master–here’s abadbusiness. I’msoscared foryou I’mshakingfrom my :

What amItodo, my dearScapin? Playing with objects Copeau (1879–1949) 119 Les Fourb-

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 from of thenature a misunderstanding of thiskind of comedy. Copeau saw this play as ‘pure’ from andsocialrealism, theexpectationofpsychological from thedead-weight oftradition, and mayThe characters initiallyseemsimpleandstereotypical, but thisisamisapprehension born for hisyoung troupe, but believed thatthesolutionlay inMolière: intrusting predictable. Copeaurecognised thechallengethataplay like deScapinrepresented LesFourberies actor. whichis clichéd, It can be only too easy to slip into a characterisation two dimensional and The playing isfraughtwith dangers, ofstock characters orlazy especiallyfortheinexperienced meaning and intention? Can it be transformed toserve any otherpurpose? meaning andintention?Canitbetransformed in this?How much doesitbecomeanextensionoftheactor’s body?How doesithelptoclarify when isithectic, whennimble, whenslow andwhenfrenetic. To whatextentdoestheparasolassist improvising. Lookcarefully athow your sequenceworks andconsideralso itsrhythmic – shapeandstructure • • • offering • • • • • protecting • • dragging • hiding • • defending SCAPIN GÉRONTE SCAPIN GÉRONTE SCAPIN GÉRONTE SCAPIN GÉRONTE avoiding/dodging pointing/indicating restraining comforting disguising emphasising because hewas amanofthetheatre andhewrote foractors. Molière never created amundane character, astockcharacter, aswe say, orafill-in, getting attention getting away pushing Now build asequencewhichworks withthelines, tokeep trying theplayfulness whichyou hadwhen Now, withoutthetext, explore how bothGéronte andScapinmightusetheparasol: I’ve wornthemalittlelonger. : : : :

Wait. Here’s anidea, andIthinkitjustmightsave your skin. Getinsidethissack. I’ll try myI’ll try best. Ihave asoftspotforyou whichwon’t letmeleave you defenceless. I canthinkofoneway; ofgetting beatenmyself. but Iwould therisk run No. No, no, it’s nothing. : : : : Eh? You willberewarded forit, Iassure you. Ipromise you canhave theseclothes, when Eh! Scapin, beagoodservant: don’t me, desert Ibegyou. Can’t you thinkofsomeway togetmeoutofthismess? Playing stock characters stock Playing Mark Evans Mark 120 (Copeau 1990: 144)

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 around them. the possibilitiestheirrole offers, andtothepotential offered bytheobjects, spacesandactors need to be performing actors ‘in the moment’ – alive to all that is going on around them, to throwsin order thatfate tosurvive thetwistsandturns atthem. To achieve thiskindofplaying, oftheactors.part onasixpence, needtobeable toturn The characters constantlyontheirtoes physical, vocal andmentalcommitment, fitness, aswell asenormous andcontrol agility onthe .all-consuming energyofthecommediadell’arte To play demandsacomplete suchcharacters energywasIts driving not that of the gentle drawing room comedy, but the lively ‘ferocious’ coherence was not psychological, political or even entirely narrative, but essentially theatrical. theatre, which bound the play logic and by together this he meant that the internal and gave it within theplay. Let’s lookattheopeningsceneandCopeau’s notes: Copeau wanted the actors’ movements togive dramaticexpression totherhythms anddynamics ofrhythmimportance totheactingandhisown mise-en-scène . Rightfrom oftheplay, thestart of apart. When hecametowork onaplay deScapin , suchasLesFourberies Copeauthe sawimmediately same way asStanislavsky encouragedhisstudentsto explore whathecalled ‘the innertempo-rhythm’ was askillwhich theactorcouldandshouldpossess. found itaffectedand ridiculous;even alittle but he knew instinctively thatrhythmic awareness new actor. ofJaques-Dalcroze’s Copeauwas critical work withmovement andspoken text, he him tobelieve forthe thebasisforaholistictrainingregime thatthiskindoftraining must form between reading dramatictextand rhythmic movement training(Copeau1990: 58), whichled way ofopeninguptheactorto rhythm ofapiecespoken text. Hesaw adirect relationship est inrhythm andactingwas inany sensediminished. Rhythmic movement was, forCopeau, a intheSchoolcurriculum, yetHébertisme thisshouldnotbetaken tomeanthatCopeau’s inter- Jaques-Dalcroze’s work andreductive, astooformulaic andEurhythmics hadbeenreplaced by of EtienneMarey, GeorgesDemeny andPaul Souriau. Although by 1920Copeauhadrejected work ofEmileJaques-Dalcroze, andwould have hadsomeknowledge ofthemovement theories came from theanalysisofrhythm. Copeau, like Stanislavsky, Appia andMeyerhold, knew ofthe art. The answer forCopeau, asforseveral otherearlytwentieth-century theatre practitioners, totheactor’s integral inorder thatitmightbecometruly a guidingsetofaestheticprinciples agile. Suchphysical abilityneededhowever tobeshapedanddirected through theoperationof the kindoftheatre thathewanted tomake whowere heneededactors fit, strong, flexible and mance. We have already examinedhiscommitment tothephysical trainingoftheactor–for in hiscareer asatheatre director ofthephysical herealised theimportance aspectsofperfor- andjournalism, mediaofplaywriting Copeau cametotheatre viathewritten yet very earlyon What Copeau sought was to incorporate and internalise thesenseofrhythm, andinternalise What Copeausoughtwas toincorporate inmuch the SILVESTRE OCTAVIO SILVESTRE OCTAVIO deScapin Les Fourberies Act 1Scene 1 (author’s translation). tre, you tellmeyou’ve heard attheharbourthatmy father’s cominghome. : :

: : And thathe’s thisvery morning? arriving Ah! This isthe worst news fora lover! What dire hardships I seecomingmy way! Silves- Yes. This very morning. Playing the rhythm the Playing Copeau (1879–1949) 121 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 a similar but different effect later inthe same scene whenGéronte with rageashelistens thecomedyof bring ‘sack scene’ in andnoisyclimax.Act 3Scene2toariotous We cansee out themannerinwhichsounds created by Scapin’s feetandGéronte’s movements help to the cementfloorupto warm, resounding wooden platform’ (Saint-Denis1982: 29), pointing Denis’ ofthe memories ‘by-play ofsound’ createdleaptfrom astheactors ‘the hard coldnessof accompanied by thetappingoftheirwalking sticks’. John Rudlin (1986: 81)picksuponSaint- by thestamping, jumpingfeetoftheyounger orby characters theslow stompingoftheirelders stage how theplatform describes ‘intensified, inapleasantmanner, thesoundsmadeonit, either build suspense, increase thenoiseofascene, orpunctuatespeech. MichelSaint-Denis(1982: 29) functionto announce someone’svariously arrival, draw theaudience’s ortheactor’s attention, realised thatthesoundoffootsteps, leaps, andthetappingofsticksumbrellas couldall falls Elsewhere intheplay, itselfactively thestaging draws attentiontotheactor’s rhythm. Copeau plays withhismaster’s agitation, love settingadramaticcounter-contextforthedriving story. his servant, we cantellthatitis Silvestre whoissettingthepace andcontrolling thegame. He Despite Octavio’s role asthemasteranddespitehisattemptstoimposeurgentrhythm on from therapid, anxiouspacingofOctavio andtheslow chewing ofSilvestre. matter-of-fact ates and embodies the dramatic impact of the scene. In this scene, the rhythmic comes interplay the rhythm oftheirmovement. Furthermore, heintendsthattherhythm ofthemovement cre - where hesits. the right walking backwards in front of Silvestre who slowly gains ground, finally reaching the steps on exasperated –pullingonhishat, waving hishandsandsoon. The exchangeendswithOctavio tinues between them, varyinganddeveloping asOctavio becomesmore andmore urgentand jacket. Octavio rounds onSilvestre, whoresponds incoherently, stillchew ing. con- This interplay to hisyoung master. As hedoessoeatssunflower seedswhichhetakes from thepocket ofhis centre-stage Silvestre appears, onthesamepathacross thestage, moving very slowly incontrast wildlytothesky,turing atthefront andpacingfrom ofthestage. lefttoright As Octavio getsto (Molière 1951: 33), Octavio shouldentersuddenly from theleft, extremely agitated, ges- arms Copeau doeswiththissectionofthescene. According toCopeau’s notesandstagedirections answer exchange between the anxious lover/son and the shiftyservant. Let’s look atwhat establish theplotandcharacters. isthatofadoubleThe structure actroutine, arapidquestion-and- Straight away we can see that Copeau wants the two to be clearly differentiated characters by The dialogue above quitebaldandfunctional; appears Molière isusingthescenesimplyto SILVESTRE OCTAVIO SILVESTRE OCTAVIO SILVESTRE OCTAVIO SILVESTRE OCTAVIO SILVESTRE OCTAVIO SILVESTRE OCTAVIO : : : : : :

: : : : : : Who was todosoinaletterfrom instructed my father? To thedaughterofSignorGéronte? And you say thatthisuncleknows everything we’ve beendoing? And you hadthisnews from my uncle? isbeingsummonedoverAnd thatthisgirl especiallyfrom Taranto. off? And thathe’s togetmemarried comingbackdetermined Yes. Everything. Yes. Of SignorGéronte. By aletter. From your uncle. Mark Evans Mark 122

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 a counterpoint ofrhythms andpostures.a counterpoint contrast isphysical; andavisualcontrastbetween there isanauditory thetwo oldmen, producing contrast, Géronte walks steps, withshort hisheadfrom thesunwithhisparasol. sheltering The as whatKnappdescribes performing ‘arabesques’ (Knapp 1988: 211)around theplatform. In with sweat,dripping bustle along in what may have seemed something like , an agitated bubbling laughter. of Similarlyatthebeginning Act 2Scene1, we see Argante, hatinhandand to Zerbinette’s ofhisown story foolishness–providing totherhythm ofher acounterpoint ciently one into the next – sometimes to magical effect,ciently oneinto thenext–sometimesto magical sometimes providing deliciously effect ontheaudience’s imagination. movements andgestures functionmusically, accumulating energyandrhythm, building their creating dynamicliving between imagesand rhythmic counterpoints characters. Even simple in vivid relief against the bare stage and the tréteau. The effect is both sculptural and musical, ments andgestures, andthefluidimageswhichCopeau’s mise-en-scènegenerate, are allshown comes alive andisanexpressive elementwithinthetheatre event. The actors’ posture, move- naturalistic drama–spaceisusedsymbolically, acoustically, rhythmically anddynamically, it for mostofthescenesby the figure of Scapin! How different thiskindofplaying is from the was dominated theplatform withinascene–andofcourse to assumestatusand/orauthority indicatingthat acharacterhadmanaged –achievingthe statusofcharacters platform on andoff, teeteronthestepsor even go around itlike anobstacle. represented Theplatform sometimes even usingitasakind of spring-board. wereThe oldercharacters forced toclamber anddangeroftheunknown.peril The young couldleaponandofftheplatform, characters itasoperating,Copeau described inthis play, asa ‘trap foroldmen’ themasenseof –giving ical expression of the characters’ age and status – revealing physical their particular abilities. ofthe characters’interplay movements, stagecouldalsofunctiontocreate aphys theplatform - discovered thataswell asproviding aclearandopenspaceonwhichtoexposetherhythmic of the drama. part he had to explore could be used as an integral how the platform Copeau oftheplay.Copeau intendedthetréteautobecentralstaging Inorder toachieve this, With no complexsetchangestoperform, thescenes canflow smoothly, quickly and effi- your frustration. Try toplay withtherhythm, ratherthanletitdominate. partner. Perhaps you slow down your rhythm tomake apoint, orspeedupyour rhythm toexpress you walk, allowing thechanges inrhythm totake placeasyou engagewiththeargumentyour between your partner’s footfalls. Changeover. To finish, improvise anargumentwith as your partner walk athalftherhythm, andthentwicetherhythm. to walk Finallytry atthecounter-tempo, in nortooslow.be neithertoofast Now, whileoneofyou maintainsthatrhythm, to theothertries With apartner, walk around theroom, establishing ashared rhythm toyour walk. Your walk should medium fortherhythmic interplay. byfurther usingsticks, parasols, sacks, bagsofmoney, foodoranumber ofotherproperties asthe express physically thenature between oftheinterplay them. This sameexercise couldbedeveloped and explore how the rhythm of the two characters’ walks (or gestures, or speech) could be used to Now pickascenefrom theplay –anargument, alove scene, adisagreement, oraplottingscene– Playing the space the Playing Copeau (1879–1949) 123

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 sense of theatrical poetry.sense oftheatrical direction, rhythm andmovement dynamicswithinbare spacestoestablish place, moodand a Steven Berkoff, whoisequallysensitive totheplayful possibilitiesofmovement andspace, using improvisations couldmeaningfullyinhabit. withthework Itisalsopossible of toseesimilarities thatwould ofstaging stillbeable tocreatethe simplestform aworld whichtheplay/text/ rhythms anddynamicsofthepieceasawhole. BothBrook andCopeauclearlysearched for forhisproductions.and shapesofthesetstructures The simpledesignshelpedtoestablish the done before him, Brook consciouslymadeuseofthequalitiesandassociationsmaterials actor to ‘emote’. actor circumstances itallowedright thewords to ‘work’ the onthe listenerratherthanrequiring this occasionallyledtoaslightly austere andpresentational vocal style, nonethelessin the style ofthereading was astylewhichinfusedthevocal delivery ofthewholecompany. If readings –somethinghecontinued todo formostofhisworking life–andthesimple, direct was natural, fluid and sensitive to the events on stage.giving dramatic Copeau specialised in vocaldeclamatory delivery oftheComédie-Française, insteadadelivery which preferring the inner dynamics of the play (e.g. Géronte’s umbrella). the He rejected whole-heartedly anachronistic situationsbecausehefeltitwas realistic justifiedwithin elementsintoperiod production – but he did not feel bound by of realism, the aesthetic logic and would transpose of realism inorder feelingofvitalityandrelevance tomaintainanappropriate withinthe nottosaycourse thatCopeauentirely rejected realism –headvocated theuseofelements mount toabetrayal – it went againsteverything thoseplays stoodfor(ibid.: 19). This isof wrote ofrealism inhisnotes thattobaseclassicalproductions was ontheprinciples tanta- seems tohave todevelop struggled anapproachwhichwas tostaging asflexible. Copeau approach becapable ofbeingadaptedtononnaturalisticplays, toacting mightcertainly he ofMolière’s attheheart of realism ignored thetheatricality theatre. Whereas Stanislavsky’s oncarefullyand innerlogic worked outnaturalisticdetails; Copeaubelieved thatthiskind Géronte cansimplykickitintothewings. Stanislavsky’s productions relied fortheirveracity (Copeau inMolière 1951: 28, author’s translation). Likewise, whenthesackwas finishedwith sack wasinthetheatre ofthesixteenthcentury. atraditionalaccessory Itwas frequently used’ Copeau the ‘location’ ofthesackwas notimportant, itwas there becauseitwas needed: ‘The of theset, from whichScapinborrows theprop inthesackscene’ (Copeau1990: 261). For order toexplainScapin’s sack, Stanislavsky sacksattheback putsaboatloadedwithgrain Theatre. Hehadalready notedthat, ‘Stanislavsky’s realistic. miseenscèneisunnecessarily In Copeau was aware ofStanislavsky’s production deScapinattheMoscow ofLesFourberies Art pit ofsand; and, forhisproduction ofUbu todelineatetheplaying space;large carpet forhisproduction ofLaTempête heusedacircular over years. thelastthirty Foracross hisjourney intheearly1970shiscompany useda Africa Peter Brook usedsimilarlysimpledevices inseveral experiments of hisproductions and theatrical playful hisproduction but notes. absorbedenergywhichseemstopermeate and theovertly theatrical. Copeaufoundthisqualityinthenaïve play ofchildren anditisthis a styleofactingwhichisequallydirect, andwhichcanalsomove smoothlybetween thefictive Vieux-Colombier stage)ismadeexplicitthrough thevery simplicityofthesetting. This calls for by aword theoverlay andagesture –in fact offictive space(the space(Naples)andtheatrical poignant overlaps as one character exiting nearly meets anotherentering. Place is established Copeau’s ideashave staging influencedseveral theatre. ofthemajorfigures ofcontemporary A different kind of realism of kind different A Mark Evans Mark , cable drum. alargeindustrial Just asCopeauhad 124 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 as well asdemonstratingthecontinuing influence ofCopeau’s innovations. into thepossible effectwhichaproduction deScapin mighthave suchasLesFourberies achieved, The lightness, joy, of these productions freshness and technical expertise gives us some insight touchingly aware tostayfate andthefutilityofourstruggle ontopof ofthefickleness events. agility. The whirling plot narratives, and the dreamlike weaved fantasies around them, leave us wonderfulfantasy andimagination,pursue flightsof executed withphysical skillandacrobatic clearly delineatedcharacters; atthesametime, aminimalbutallows flexible to staging theactors In theseshows, aseeminglysimpleandessentiallycomicnarrative issetuparound agroupof company Complicite, for exampleAMinute Too (1984)orAnything Late foraQuietLife (1987). vision. never conceive ofatheatre inwhichtheactor/characterwas amere pawn totheplaywright’s asthepoetoftheatre,inner mind–thoughCopeauchampionedtheplaywright hewould a moresize. personal ofhisdramaswereThe characters always moreforthepoet’s thanciphers aimedtohumanisesymbolism, thescaleofpoet’sto staging bringing innervisiondown to ment andwas thantorealism. insomerespects closertosymbolisminhisstaging His approach Copeau didnotthinkofhistheatre as ‘symbolist’, however hewas aware ofthesymbolistmove- to have beentocreate aspacethatineffectgeneratesmovement ratherthansimplyframingit. inanimate objects, Copeaupreferredtheliving movement ofhisactors. For boththeaimseems for theflow oflinesmovement andaction, but whereas Craigseemedhappier working with the audiencetofeelcloserstageandlessintimidatedby it. Like Craighehadafine eye but toprovide themwithaspacewhichlettheiractionslive andbreathe, andwhichallowed work on a less monumental and abstract scale. did not set out to dwarf His staging the actors some timelessrepresentation ofmood, ideasandadeeperdramaticreality, but hepreferredto Perhaps Copeauwanted, like Craig, tomove beyond thesuggestionoftimeandplacetowards room fortheflow ofmovement therhythms which anddynamicsoftheplaywould bring alive. ofthe edly influenced work ofCraigandby hismemories Appia. Aclearstage would make Instead of alaboured realism, –a choice whichwas Copeauchoseasimple bare staging undoubt- the New York tour, theframing pieces alsoserved to provide anintroduction tothe style of and epilogue served tointroduce thecompany andthework toanaudience. Inthecontextof was simplycopying atraditionusedby many renaissance –theuseofaprologue playwrights de Molière(TheCrowningof ). There were several reasons forthis. Ononelevel Copeau Vieux-Colombier by Jacques Copeau, deScapinby LesFourberies Molière, and LeCouronnement duction. the evening In fact was advertised as being composed of three parts: Copeaudecidedthattheproduction needed somekindofintroFor performance - thefirst A useful comparison canbemadewiththeearlywork oftheLondon-basedphysicalA usefulcomparison theatre position. steps, built in the centre ofthestage, inorderconstantlytochange tocompeltheactors forcibly produced movement. thetréteau, SoIimagined onfoursidesby surrounded which theplay was presented, Ithoughtitadvisable toconceive astagelay-out which Two years ago, deScapin. IputonLesFourberies Inorder torevive themovement with and scapin Symbolism Framing event the Copeau (1879–1949) 125 (Copeau 1990: 145) L’Impromptu du Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 years later, ofLesCopiaus. apparent dramatic ‘trinkets’ asforetastes ofthe more sophisticatedandcomplex work, seven and carefully craftedframingdevices forthemainplay, ofthese andtoignore theimportance ofCopeau,rassing indulgencesonthepart but thisistomisstheirsignificance asimportant history. Itisalltooeasytoview L’Impromptu andLeCouronnementdeMolièreasslightlyembar- relationship oftheatre with itsaudienceandwithwesterncultural anditsparticular poetry should forgetthemselves, but thatthey shouldbeawakened power totheextraordinary and Copeau, we must recognise thattheimpulsebehindwholeevent was notthattheaudience the mannerinwhichopeningnightwas presented. of Butbefore beingtooquicklycritical around lingers demonstrations– andanelementoftheeducationalexpository and giving inthisway.main performance Copeauspentalifetimeasaneducator–teaching, lecturing reference points.theatrical There is an elementof the self-conscious about the framing of the into play the and itsability to bring ‘heart’ of the company – its beliefs, ethos and its its family simplicity, itsbravery, itssincerity, ofdance, integration itspurposeful voice andmovement, reverential. It isrescued by thequalitieswhichmarkoutsomuch ofCopeau’s bestwork: its Scapin itiseasytoseethatinthewrong handsthispiececouldseemtrite, quaint, andoverly actofhomage. ofthe andartistic eveningthis finalpart asaserious de AswithLesFourberies which heliftsuphissonwhocrowns thebust withthelaurels. a crown oflaurels. They approach thebust; Copeaurecites ahomagetoMolière, attheendof under therobe hewore forL’Impromptu. Heholdsthehandofhisyoung son, Pascal, whocarries bier Theatre) whichthey offertothe bust ofMolière. inthecostumeofScapin, Copeauenters children, andEdi, Marie-Hélène eachholdingadove inacage(asymbolofthe Vieux-Colom- the Vieux-Colombier. Shedances, finishing by introducing on tothestageCopeau’s two small dance a of Europe –whoalsodanceinhomagetoMolière. Eventually symbolicfigures allthevarious phanes, Terence, , , Shakespeare, –representing andothers thecomictraditions and symbolic nature of the pieceis reinforced by the appearance of several figures –- Aristo mouth andproduces inthewings. asoundwhichisechoedbyofactors thechorus The ritual Greek andEurhythmic references. After thishomageinmovement, thedancerliftsaflutetohis quite probably choreographed by Jessmin Howarth, andthusdrawing onamixture of Ancient on apedestal. The bust thenbecamethefocalpointofasolodance-drama; aperformance ronnement deMolière. A bust ofMolière was brought ontothemiddleoftréteau, andplaced in Paris. other semi-improvised tointroduce deScapinwhenitwas LesFourberies revived scenarios again ofimprovised convincedcertainly enoughofthebenefitsaform prologue toinvent several production was than the need to accommodate the conventional more important breaks. He was interval andtherapidpaceclearlysignalCopeau’s ofthe conviction integrity thattheartistic and is acted dans un mouvement rapide’‘sans interruption (Copeau 1984: 175). The lack of an gives of the play the traditional signal for the start by knocking three times and the play begins calling outtothecompany thatthey whorespond are inchorus ready, thestagemanagerthen powertheatre traditionandtheritual ofthestage. andmagic L’Impromptu finisheswithCopeau to inspire thecompany. Hiswords echoOberon’s toPuck, instructions invoking themystery of Bing, Copeaucalledonthe ‘spirit’ ofthetheatre, represented by thedancerJessmin Howarth, oftheevent.yet whichalsoemphasisedthetheatricality After awelcome address by Suzanne ofintroduction totheactors,audience aform whichwas bothtraditionaland usingaformat the company andtocreate an ambience for the evening as a whole. L’Impromptu offered the The ritual elementsofLeCouronnementdeMolièreare clearlyintentional.The ritual Copeaumeant At theendofplay, calls, afterthecurtain piece, Copeauplacedtheother short LeCou- farandole around the stage. The music ends, and Jessmin of Howarth as the spirit enters Mark Evans Mark 126 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 trained performer. methodsand lighting;made instaging and, theenergyandrhythmic musicality of the physically tion: the new standards it set for vigorous and spontaneous ensemble playing; the innovations it achieved. Furthermore, they somethingof the significanceof theproduc help us tounderstand - New York productions. and Paris thatmany ofCopeau’sThey confirm aims were successfully in theBibliothèque nationaledeFrancecontainanextensive setofreviews from boththe financial successofthecompany, mission. andforthesuccessofitsartistic The Copeau Archives the vitalityofperformances: imagination’ (GeorgeNathan, ChicagoHerald, 16December1917). But, ingeneral, allrelished strained, instead of encouraging to imagination a barrier ‘to the point where it actually interposes whole production grotesque, annoying andbewildering. over- foundthesimplestaging Others blending oftheclown andofMephistophelesmakes combination’ abizarre andconsidered the (5 December 1917) complained that Copeau’s ‘conception of thecharacter [of Scapin], his The irreverent oftheevent informality clearlydisturbedsome, onelettertotheNewYorkTimes innovatory successofthetréteaunu: perception assubtlyintelligentitisoriginal’. ‘an artistic 1917). John Corbin, in the writing offered forthe ‘lively actor, childlike inhisplayful eagerness’ (BostonTranscript, 28November qualities oftheproduction confusedsomecritics, recognised others thepossibilitiesstaging so becauseofthelackdécorandsimplicityplay. Though theminimaliststaging company impressed theNew York audienceswiththeirskilfulensemble playing, perhaps more ity andveracity intheperformance’ World (Morning , 28November 1917). Itisevident thatthe and primitive was farce accomplishedinexcellent style . general recognition ofthequalityperformances: ofMolière’s‘the performance boisterous must besombre andportentous, notplayful andfrivolous. as his opening productionCopeau had chosen a light farce – surely notable European theatre that there was little to say about the décor and design. found it difficult to see why Some critics the innovatory value oftheenterprise. The deceptive simplicityofCopeau’s production meant was soradicallydifferent from thetheatre traditionsthey were usedto, but many couldappreciate this production. founditdifficulttoacceptatheatre Some critics production which American deScapinalsoreveals toLesFourberies The reaction ofthecritics somethingofthesignificance Copeau himself had been a critic. He understood the importance of critical reviewsCopeau himselfhadbeenacritic. ofcritical –for the theimportance Heunderstood Despite somepuzzlementover theopening ‘Impromptu’ andthefinal ‘Crowning’, there was but ashappy vigorous animals. the physical freedom andpoiseoftheplayers, alone, whohadbeentrainednotasactors viction thatmuch ofthebusiness was actuallyimprovised . Their mannerwas sofresh andimpulsive thatthespectatorcouldnot escapethecon- seemed notonlysuperficial, but unsophisticated –surprising, comingfrom theFrench. playing uponpassionsandfoibles ofsimplehumanbeings, couldnotholdthem; it obviousnessby of andglittering theharsh theatre.American ofcomedy,The pure spirit qualitiesoftheplayThe grand were lostonthe critics,American surfeitedasthey were New York Sunday Times (December 1917) also recognised Sunday the New York Critical reaction Copeau (1879–1949) 127 (Boston Transcript, 28November 1917)

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. beyond allelseonenoted (Knapp 1988: 212) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 Bradby, David and Delgado, (2002) Maria Bradby, Drama: David French (1984)Modern 1940–1980, Cambridge: University Press. Cambridge Bentley, (1950) Eric ‘Copeau andtheChimera’,, TheatreArts January, 34: 1, 48–51. Benedetti, Jean (1988)Stanislavski:Biography, A London: Methuen. ——— (1961)The ,Theatre ofJean-LouisBarrault trans. Joseph Chiari, New York: Hill& Wang. Barrault, Jean-Louis (1951)Reflectionsonthe Theatre, trans. Barbara Wall, London: Rockliff. Barker, Clive (1977)TheatreGames: A New toDramaApproach Training, London: Eyre Methuen. Balance, J. [Edward Gordon Craig](1908) ‘A NoteonMasks’, TheMask, 1: 11. Bablet, Denis(1981)The Theatre ofEdward Gordon Craig, London: Eyre Methuen. Auslander, Philip(1997)From Acting toPerformance:, Essays andPostmodernism inModernism London: Anders, France(1959)JacquesdesQuatre, CopeauetleCartel Paris: A. G. Nizet. Added, Serge(1996) ‘Jacques Copeauand “Popular Theatre” in ’, inGünterBerghaus(ed.) productions. see theseedsofCopeau’s laterwork thaninmany deScapin more other clearlyinLesFourberies event.the useofsimpletextsandemphasisontheatrical Inmany sensesthen, we can open andsimplestaging, thedirect physical playing, between therapport stageandaudience, Les Copiaus. Key features of this production were to reappear in thework in Burgundy: the work inthe Vieux-Colombier School, towards ofthejourney andaspart hislaterwork with by testingtheminthepublic arena. The productiontohis needstobeseenascomplementary to develop hisideasaboutpopulartheatre, thephysical actor, theensemble andthetréteaunu atre towards whichheaspired. provided deScapin LesFourberies Copeauwiththeopportunity ifitdidnotalsoembodytheessentialfeatures deScapin repeatedly ofthe- toLesFourberies Copeau refused tobedriven solelyby financialimperatives, andhe would nothave returned good box officeandpopularwithhisaudiencesupporters. However, throughout hiscareer Place Saint-Sulpicein1922, andwe becauseitwas canassumethathedidsoatleastinpart Copeau revived thisproduction several times, inthe culminatingintheopen-airperformance ——— (1976)RegistresII: Molière , ed. André Cabanis, Paris: Gallimard. ——— (1974)Registres: Appels, ed. DastéandSuzanneMaistre Saint-Denis, Marie-Hélène Paris: Gallimard. ——— (1967) ‘An Essay ofDramaticRenovation: The Théâtre of the Vieux-Colombier’, trans. Richard ——— (1963) ‘Visites àGordon Craig, Jaques-Dalcroze et Adolphe Appia’, Revued’histoiredu Théâtre , Populaire , Paris:——— (1941)LeThéâtre Presses Universitaires deFrance. duVieux-Colombier,Copeau, Paris: Jacques (1931)Souvenirs Nouvelles Editions. Cole, Toby and Chinoy, (eds.)(1970)Actorson Helen Krich Acting: The Years Fervent ,Theories,NewClurman, Harold (1945)The York: Techniques, Alfred A.Knopf. and Practices ofthe Christout, Marie-Françoise, Guibert, NoëlleandPauly, Danièle(1993)Théâtredu Vieux-Colombier: 1913– Carter, intheEuropean Huntley (1925)TheNewSpirit Theatre 1914–1924: A Comparative Study ofChanges Callery, Dymphna(2001)ThroughtheBody: A Practical GuidetoPhysical Theatre , London: NickHern Bradby, David and Williams, David (1988)Directors’ Theatre, Basingstoke: Macmillan. Bradby, David andMcCormick, John (1978)People’s Theatre, London: Croom Helm. Routledge. Oxford: BerghahnBooks, 247–259. Fascism and Theatre: Comparative Studiesonthe inEurope,Aesthetics andPoliticsofPerformance 1925–1945, , Journal Hiatt, Part 4: EducationalTheatre 447–454. 15ème année, December: 357–367. World’sActors, OwnWords Greatest , inTheir Told New York: Three Rivers Press. 1993, Paris: NORMA. Effected by the War andRevolution, London: Benn. Ernest Books. Manchester University Press. Where next: a new commedia?Where next:anew The Paris Jigsaw: and the City’s Internationalism Stages, Manchester: Further reading Mark Evans Mark 128

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 Feinsod,(1992) Arthur Evans, Mark(2009)Movement Training fortheModern Actor, LondonandNew York: Routledge. Eldredge, andHuston, Sears Hollis(1995) ‘Actor Training intheNeutralMask’, (ed.) inPhilipZarrilli ——— (1996)MaskImprovisationfor Actor Training andPerformance: The CompellingImage, Evanston, IL: Eldredge, (1979) Sears ‘Jacques CopeauandtheMaskin Actor Training’, Mime, Mask,, andMarionette 2: ——— (1935) ‘The SceneinEurope: TheatreMonthly andSchool’,, TheatreArts April, 19: 4, 259–263. Dukes, Ashley (1931) Monthly‘The EnglishScene’,, TheatreArts September, 15: 9, 715–719. Dorcy, Jean (1961)TheMime, trans. Speller, Robert Jr. deFontnouvelle, andPierre New York: Robert ——— (2008)Jacques Copeau’s andDisciples: Friends The Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier inNew York City, 1917– ——— (1998) ‘Improvisation andtheMaskatÉcoledu Vieux-Colombier: The CaseofSuzanneBing’, Donahue, Thomas (1991) ‘Mnouchkine, Vilar andCopeau: Popular Theater andParadox’, Language Modern Doisy, Marcel (1954)Jacques Copeau, Paris: LeCercle duLivre. Decroux, Etienne(1985) ‘Words onMime’, trans. MarkPiper, MimeJournal: Words, onMime Darwin, Claremont, Charles(1872)TheExpressionoftheEmotionsinManand Animals, London: John Murray. duVieux-Colombier, L’École ed.——— (2000)RegistresVI: ClaudeSicard, Paris: Gallimard. ——— (1993)Registres V: LesRegistresdu Vieux-Colombier troisièmepartie, 1919–1924, ed. SuzanneMais- ——— (1990)Copeau: onTheatre, Texts trans. anded. Paul, John RudlinandNorman London: Routledge. ——— (1984)RegistresIV: LesRegistresdu Vieux-Colombier deuxièmepartie, ,America ed. Dasté Marie-Hélène ——— (1979)RegistresIII: LesRegistresdu ,Vieux-Colombier premierepartie ed. Dastéand Marie-Hélène Gignoux, (1984) Histoire d’une Famille Hubert Théâtrale: Jacques Copeau – Léon Chancerel , Ghéon, (1961)The Henri ofthe Art Theatre , trans. Adele Fiske, New York:Frost, Hill& Wang.Anthony and Yarrow, Ralph(1990)ImprovisationinDrama, Basingstoke: Macmillan. Frank, Waldo (1925) ‘Copeau Begins MonthlyAgain’,, TheatreArts September, 9. Fleming, Cass(2013) ‘A Genealogy oftheEmbodied Theatre PracticesofSuzanneBingandMichael Felner, Mira(1985)ApostlesofSilence: Mimes , French The Modern London: Associated University Press. ——— (1913) Jaques-Dalcroze, Emile(1906)MéthodeJaques-Dalcroze: Pourledévèloppement de l’instinctrythmiques, dusens Innes, (1993)Avant Garde Christopher Theatre: 1892–1992, London: Routledge. Hobson, Harold (1978)French Theatre since1830, London: John Calder. Hébert, Georges(1949)L’Éducation physique parlaméthodenaturelle , 10vols, Paris: Librarie Vuibert. Hayman,and After, Oxford: Ronald (1977)Artaud Oxford University Press. Harrop, John. (1971) ‘“A Constructive Promise”: Jacques Copeau in New York, 1917–1919’,, TheatreSurvey Guicharnaud, Jacques French (1967)Modern Theatre: From Giraudoux toGenet, New Haven, CT: Yale Uni- Gontard, deBord desCopiaus1924–1929, Denis(ed.)(1974)LeJournal Paris: Seghers. Kilby, John (2005)Personal emailtoauthor(8 April). Johnstone, Keith (1981)Impro: Improvisationandthe Theatre , London: Eyre Methuen. Acting (Re)Considered: andPractices,Theories LondonandNew York: Routledge. UniversityNorthwestern Press. 3–4, 1979–1980. Speller. 1919, New York: Peter Lang. ,Maske UndKorthurn 44: 1–2, 61–72. Studies, 21: 4, 31–42. CA: Pomona College. Gallimard. tre Saint-Denis, Dasté, Marie-Hélène Paul, Norman Jacquemont, ClémentBorgalandMaurice Paris: and SuzanneMaistre Saint-Denis, Paris: Gallimard. Suzanne Maistre Saint-Denis, Paris: Gallimard. Thesis.pdf;sequence=1. from: www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2086/9608/Cassandra%20Fleming%20PhD%20 Chekhov: The UseofPlay in Actor Training’, unpublished PhDthesis, University. DeMontfort Available Press. auditif etdusentimenttonal,, en5parties Neuchâtel: Sandoz, Jobin &Cie. November, 12: 2, 104–118. versity Press. iers, LaDécentralisation dramatique, Lausanne: Éditionsdel’Aire. Maynard. The Eurhythmics of Jaques-Dalcroze, introduced by Prof. M. E. Sadler, Boston, MA: Small The SimpleStage: intheModern ItsOrigins American Theatre, New York: Greenwood Copeau (1879–1949) 129 Les Comédiens-Rout- Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 , Sourcebook London: Soleil Williams, Routledge. 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John Wood, Harmondsworth: Penguin. deJacques Copeau , de Scapin –miseenscèneetcommentaries Molière (1951) LesFourberies Paris: Éditionsdu Mingalon, Jean-Louis (1999)Journal: Dasté’, Transmissions withMarie-Hélène ‘An Interview Mime , 11–27. Milling, Jane andLey, Graham(2001)Modern , ofPerformance Theories Basingstoke: Palgrave. Miller, Anna Irene (1931)TheIndependent Theatre inEurope: 1887tothePresent, New York: Benjamin Mignon, Paul-Louis (1993)Jacques Copeauoulemythe du Vieux-Colombier: Biographie, Paris: Julliard. Meyerhold, (1981) Vsevolod Merlin, Bella(2003)KonstantinStanislavsky, London: Routledge. 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Archive material Archive Mark Evans Mark 130 Twentieth Century Actor Train Century Twentieth- Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 14:30 23 Sep 2021; For: 9780367815998, chapter3, 10.4324/9780367815998-3 , Copeau Archive Jacques ,Footsbarn Maillet. Online, available: (20September2005). http://footsbarn.com Bibliothèque nationaledeFrance , Paris. Online, available: www.bnf.fr (20September2005). For studythere thoseinterested isasubstantialarchive infurther onCopeau’s ofmaterial lifeandwork hâr duVieux-Colombier, Paris.Théâtre Online, available: http://vieux.colombier.free.fr (20September2005). Théâtre duSoleil, Paris. Online, available: www.theatre-dusoleil.fr (20September2005). the University ofKent. archive whichpreviously belongedtoJohn ofmaterial Ruldinisavailable atthe Templeman of Library available in the Copeau Archives (or Fonds Copeau) at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. An library.kent.ac.uk/library/special/html/specoll/COPEAU3.HTM (20September2005). 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