The theatre in Paris during the German occupation, 1940-1944, with special reference to the Comédie-Française

The thesis is divided into two main parts. The first part deals with the theatre in general, the second with the Comedie-Francaise in particular. The first chapters explain the reasons for the immense popularity of the theatre in Paris during the years of occupation, how the theatre was organised and how racial policies and material difficulties affected productions. Relations between the theatre and the press are examined in some detail as are those plays which either supported the ideals of the ''Revolution Nationale" or attacked them; reference is also made to the important part that the theatre played in prisoner-of- war camps, the effect that censorship had on certain plays, and how popular Joan of Arc was with both the Germans and the French as a theatrical heroine. The second part opens with a brief history of the Comedie-Francaise during other wars, an explanation of the role that the public expected of their national theatre up to the time of invasion, details of changes in the theatre's repertoire as a result of the declaration of war and an examination of the attitudes of two administrators, Copeau and Vaudoyer, to the invaders. The following chapters deal with the more important productions which were put on at the theatre during the occupation, and in Particular with plays by Montherlant, Cocteau and Claudel. The conclusions drawn are that although the theatre was important to Parisians during the years 1940 - 1944, there is no real case to be made for a theatre of resistance or collaboration, and that the Comedie-Francaise was not significantly affected by the German invasion