Ménandre: un théâtre métathéâtral?

The concept of metatheatre, defined by N. Slater as « theatrically self-conscious theatre, i.e., theatre that demonstrates an awareness of its own theatricality » , is outstanding for the study of ancient theatre, both Greek and Roman. It makes possible to raise many questions and to better understand the textual links between the stage and the audience . However, the researchers have often opposed the general dramatic action stricto sensu and the metatheatrical speeches, more limited in the plays. In this paper, I would like to demonstrate that the Menander’s theatre, as a whole, is metatheatrical and that the public is entirely part of the dramatic illusion: for the author, the point would not be to propose a universe dissociated from the spectators. There wouldn’t be a border between the tiers and the stage made visible for a short while by specific lines (passive assistance vs actives comedians). Menander would rather aim at creating a fictional space including actors and spectators connected continuously together by a set of interdependent links. By this way, Menander would take all the participants of the show from the extratheatricality to the intratheatricality. These conditions would generate a homogenous group united, during the time of the performance, by its awareness of the theatrical norms