La Colline — théâtre national
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| La Colline — théâtre national | |
|---|---|
| Name | La Colline — théâtre national |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Type | National theatre |
| Opened | 1987 (inauguration 1986 for modern institution) |
| Architect | Chéreau/Aragon era redesigns; original building by Henri de Dion (19th century) |
| Capacity | ~750 (Grande salle) and smaller studio spaces |
La Colline — théâtre national is a national theatre in Paris dedicated to contemporary dramatic writing and avant-garde performance. Founded as a municipal institution and elevated to a national theatre, it has been linked to movements in modern French theatre, European festivals, and international collaborations. The institution has hosted significant figures from the worlds of playwrighting, directing, and performance, and has maintained connections to major cultural organizations and venues across Europe.
History
La Colline traces origins to 19th-century Parisian theatrical initiatives and municipal cultural policy under figures associated with the Third Republic and later municipal administrations. In the late 20th century the theatre was reoriented by artistic directors who engaged with theatrical reform debates prominent in postwar France, aligning with trends represented at the Festival d'Avignon, Théâtre de la Ville, and Comédie-Française. The 1980s institutional redefinition paralleled national cultural reforms under the Ministry of Culture (France) and intersected with programming shifts at the Centre Pompidou and collaborations with companies linked to Peter Brook, Ariane Mnouchkine, and Jacques Lassalle. During the 1990s and 2000s La Colline expanded international residencies, engaging artists from the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Quebec, and participated in networks such as the European Theatre Convention and the International Theatre Institute. Key moments include the appointment of directors influenced by the aesthetics of Bernard-Marie Koltès, Heiner Müller, and Samuel Beckett, and programmatic exchanges with the Théâtre National de Bretagne and Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe.
Architecture and facilities
The building occupies a site in the 20th arrondissement of Paris and underwent significant renovation to support contemporary staging practices. Architectural interventions referenced dialogues between 19th-century façades and late 20th-century functionalism seen in projects by architects informed by debates similar to those involving Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, and French restoration practices exemplified at the Opéra Garnier. The theatre houses a main auditorium with variable seating, a studio black box, rehearsal studios, and technical workshops comparable to facilities at the Comédie de Saint-Étienne and the Théâtre National de Strasbourg. Backstage infrastructure accommodates scenography construction influenced by collaborations with set designers associated with Gae Aulenti, Santiago Calatrava-adjacent engineering teams, and lighting practices reflecting innovations by designers who worked at the Festival d'Avignon and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Artistic direction and repertoire
La Colline's artistic policy emphasizes contemporary playwrights, experimental directors, and interdisciplinary performance. Programs have foregrounded works by French dramatists such as Jean Genet, Jean-Paul Sartre, Marguerite Duras, and contemporary authors like Fabrice Melquiot and Wajdi Mouawad, while presenting international texts by Tennessee Williams, Caryl Churchill, Thomas Bernhard, Pinter, and Harold Pinter. Directors associated with the theatre include artists from the circles of Olivier Py, Sonia Chiambretto, and makers associated with the La Comédie-Française network. Co-productions with institutions such as the Théâtre du Rond-Point, La Comédie de Caen, and international houses—Royal Court Theatre, Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Teatro Nacional Dona Maria II—have broadened repertoire to include new writing, reimagined classics, and performance-installation hybrid works.
Notable productions and premieres
La Colline has staged premieres and revivals that entered wider theatrical discourse, including new plays by contemporary authors and bold reinterpretations of canonical texts. Productions connected to playwrights such as Bernard-Marie Koltès, Heiner Müller, and Eugène Ionesco reached national tours and festival circuits including the Festival d'Avignon and Wiener Festwochen. The theatre has premiered works that later transferred to venues like the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe and the Comédie-Française; collaborations involved directors and ensembles with histories at the Schiller Theater, Burgtheater, and Royal Shakespeare Company. Notable stagings have also drawn performers with careers at the Théâtre de l'Odéon and the Théâtre de la Colline (historic companies), embedding La Colline within broader European repertoires and critical debates.
Education, outreach, and residency programs
La Colline maintains educational partnerships and residency schemes aimed at playwrights, directors, and emerging companies. Initiatives often coordinate with cultural education bodies in Paris, associations similar to the Maison des Auteurs, and university theatre departments at institutions like Sorbonne University and Université Paris VIII. Residency programs have hosted artists from Brazil, Canada, Morocco, and South Africa, and linked with festivals such as the Festival d'Automne à Paris and the Printemps des Comédiens. Outreach includes workshop series for young audiences, collaborations with municipal cultural centers in the 20th arrondissement, and training modules for technicians developed in conjunction with conservatories like the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique and vocational schools akin to the École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre.
Awards and recognition
La Colline has been recipient of institutional recognition and its productions have been awarded prizes at major festivals. Productions have been nominated for and won distinctions associated with the Molière Awards, Grand Prix de Littérature Dramatique, and festival-specific honors at the Festival d'Avignon. The theatre's directors and ensembles have received accolades from organizations like the Ministry of Culture (France) and European cultural bodies including the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture (juried projects adjacent to theatre renovations), while individual artists linked to La Colline have been honored with awards such as the Prix Europe 1, Prix SACD, and national orders including the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Category:Theatres in Paris Category:National theatres in France