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| Théâtre du Point du Jour | |
|---|---|
| Name | Théâtre du Point du Jour |
| City | Lyon |
| Country | France |
| Opened | 1970s |
| Capacity | 200–600 |
| Type | Theatre |
Théâtre du Point du Jour Théâtre du Point du Jour is a theatrical institution located in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon, France. The company has been associated with contemporary theatre, experimental staging, and regional cultural networks since the late 20th century. It operates within broader French arts infrastructures and collaborates with national and international organisations to present new writing, devised performance, and interdisciplinary projects.
The venue emerged in the context of post-1968 cultural renewal linked to figures such as Jean Vilar, Ariane Mnouchkine, Antoine Vitez, Peter Brook, and institutions like Festival d'Avignon, Comédie-Française, Théâtre National de l'Odéon, and Maison de la Culture de Grenoble. Early programming intersected with movements represented by Jacques Lecoq, Grotowski, Jerzy Grotowski, Tadeusz Kantor, Ecole Jacques Lecoq, CIRQUE PLAT],] and collectives similar to Théâtre du Soleil and Royal Shakespeare Company. The theatre’s development linked to municipal cultural policies of Lyon, regional funding from Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and national support from Ministère de la Culture (France), Centre National du Théâtre, and DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Directors associated with the venue have engaged with networks including La Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, Centre Dramatique National, Pôle Sud, La Comédie de Valence, and touring circuits like Théâtres en Isère. The 1980s and 1990s saw collaborations with artists tied to Olivier Py, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Roland Petit, Claude Régy, Luc Bondy, Peter Stein, and companies such as Théâtre de la Ville, Théâtre National de Toulouse, MC93 Bobigny, and Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse. The venue participated in festivals including Festival d'Automne à Paris, Rencontres Chorégraphiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis, Nouvelles Scènes, and exchange programmes with British Council, Goethe-Institut, Instituto Cervantes, Ambassade d'Italie en France, and Alliance Française.
The theatre occupies adaptive spaces reshaped in dialogue with architects influenced by projects like Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer, Gae Aulenti, and regional designers who worked on sites such as Musée d'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Opéra de Lyon, and Théâtre des Célestins. Facilities include a flexible main auditorium comparable in intent to spaces at Théâtre National de Chaillot, a black box rehearsal studio akin to those at Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique, technical workshops similar to the scene shops at Comédie de Reims, and a foyer designed for public events mirroring designs at Maison de la Culture de Bourges. Technical infrastructure incorporates lighting rigs and acoustics referenced against standards set by IRCAM, rigging systems used at Opéra Bastille, and scenography capabilities inspired by scenographers from Sacha Walckhoff, Christian Ratz, and Joël Fabre. The venue’s capacity and modular seating echo models employed at Théâtre du Rond-Point and La Scala (Milan), while audience amenities reflect municipal investments parallel to renovations at Hôtel de Ville de Lyon and cultural sites backed by EU Creative Europe funding.
Artistic leadership has balanced contemporary dramaturgy, physical theatre, and international exchange, connecting with playwrights and directors such as Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht, Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, Jean Genet, Edward Albee, Sarah Kane, Simon Stephens, Heiner Müller, Caryl Churchill, Pedro Almodóvar (for interdisciplinary projects), and choreographers including Pina Bausch, Akram Khan, Merce Cunningham, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Angelin Preljocaj, and William Forsythe. The repertoire integrates classical reinterpretations in the spirit of Peter Brook and avant-garde programming influenced by Jerzy Grotowski and Ariane Mnouchkine, alongside premieres from French and francophone authors comparable to Yasmina Reza, Wajdi Mouawad, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, and Koffi Kwahulé. Co-productions and residencies have linked the theatre to companies like Collectif Kahraba, Compagnie des 7 Doigts, La Cordonnerie, Théâtre de la Manufacture, and festivals such as Biennale de la Danse de Lyon and Festival d'Avignon.
The venue premiered and hosted works by authors and companies resonant with repertoires at Théâtre National de Strasbourg, Théâtre de la Ville, La Comédie Française, Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe, and Théâtre de la Bastille. Productions staged auteurs and directors related to artists like Olivier Py, Julien Gracq (adaptations), Annie Ernaux (adaptations), Philippe Minyana, Alice Guy-Blaché (multimedia projects), Harold Pinter, Antonin Artaud (interpretations), Maurice Maeterlinck, Federico García Lorca, Anton Chekhov, William Shakespeare, Molière, and Voltaire in experimental formats. Dance-theatre collaborations involved companies akin to Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal, Batsheva Dance Company, and choreographers such as Ramon Oller and Jean-Christophe Maillot. The theatre’s premieres often entered touring circuits alongside seasons at Théâtre National de Bretagne, Le Trident, and Le Volcan.
Educational projects connected with conservatories, universities, and cultural mediators: partners have mirrored collaborations with Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon, Université Lumière Lyon 2, École Supérieure d'Art Dramatique, Maison de la Danse, Régie Culturelle de Lyon, and municipal programmes like Maisons des Jeunes et de la Culture (MJC). Outreach initiatives included workshops inspired by methodologies from Jacques Lecoq, Suzanne Farrell (dance pedagogy), Tadeusz Kantor (workshop-based creation), and exchanges facilitated by European Theatre Convention, Saison France-Québec, Institut Français, and international residencies with institutions like Royal Court Theatre and Schaubühne. Programs targeted youth, amateurs, and professional continuing education, with partnerships resembling those of La Bâtie-Festival de Genève and Théâtre du Rond-Point.
The theatre and its productions received accolades and critical recognition comparable to prizes awarded by institutions such as Molières (award), Grand Prix du Théâtre de l'Académie Française, César Awards (for film-theatre hybrids), Prix SACD, Prix du Syndicat de la Critique, and festival distinctions from Festival d'Avignon and Biennale de la Danse de Lyon. Institutional recognition included listings in regional cultural inventories maintained by Ministère de la Culture (France) and programming partnerships with Centre National du Théâtre and Direction régionale des affaires culturelles Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Category:Theatres in Lyon