Folk Art, Faith, and Nationalism: Popular Theatre in the Provinces

A new perspective on the resilience of French provincial theatre during the Third Republic reveals its flourishing role against state-led initiatives. Popular theatre, rooted in local folklore, Catholic mystery plays, and patriotic neo-Classicism, thrived in regions like Brittany, Orange, the Vosges, and Poitou. The study highlights tensions between regionalism and nationalism, showing how some playwrights preferred Parisian life while others relied on its support. Key figures include Anatole Le Braz, Joseph Le Bayon, Maurice Pottecher, and Pierre Corneille Saint-Marc, whose works were staged at significant sites like the Roman amphitheatre of Orange.

Wardhaugh, J. (2017). Folk Art, Faith, and Nationalism: Popular Theatre in the Provinces. Popular Theatre and Political Utopia in France, 1870—1940, 71–152. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59855-4_3