Le Theatre du Soleil traces the company's history from a group of young, barely trained actors, directors, and designers struggling to match their political commitment to a creative strategy, to their grappling with the concerns of migration, separation and exile in the early decades of the twenty-first century.

Beatrice Picon-Vallin recounts how, in the 55 years since its founding, the Theatre du Soleil has established itself as one of the foremost names in modern theatre. Ariane Mnouchkine and her collaborators have developed a unique and ever-evolving style that combines a piercing richness of shape, color, and texture with precision choreography, innovative musical accompaniment, and multi-layered, metaphorical dreamscapes. This rich, storied history is illustrated by a wealth of spectacular rehearsal and production photos from the company's own archive and interviews with dozens of past and present members, including Mnouchkine herself.

Judith G. Miller's timely translation of the first comprehensive history and analysis of a remarkable, award-winning company is a compelling read for both students and teachers of Drama and Theatre Studies.

About the Author

Beatrice Picon-Vallin is the former director of France's research laboratory for the Performing Arts at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and professor of Theatre History at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts (CNSAD) in Paris, France. She is currently Director Emeritus of Research at the CNRS.

Judith G. Miller is professor of French and Francophone Theatre and collegiate professor at NYU, New York, USA and affiliate professor at NYU, Abu Dhabi.

Reviews

Judith G. Miller's translation of this stunningly illustrated history of the artistic, theoretical and socio-political commitments driving the Theatre du Soleil's creations under the direction of Ariane Mnouchkine offers the most
current and comprehensive portrait of the Soleil to date.

- Deborah Gaensbauer, Studies in 20th and 21st Century Literature

Book Information
ISBN 9780367141554
Author Beatrice Picon-Vallin
Format Paperback
Page Count 454
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 1061g