Mémoriser et répéter : l’exercice dans la construction d’un art du comédien dans le second XVIIIe siècle à Paris

• Main Author: Suzanne Rochefort
• Format: Article
• Language: fra
• Published: Université de Lille 2021-01-01
• Series: Methodos
• Subjects: theater; actor; artistic work; drama school; learning; dramatic art
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/methodos/8098

This article provides a historical look at the concept of exercise in art by investigating the profession of actor in the second half of the 18th century. While a real theatromania takes hold of the French society, actors and actresses must meet the demands of an audience fond of new releases. We highlight practices that are less visible in the artistic work, such as memorizing roles, or organizing exercises within the first French drama school (1786-1789). We also show that the growing recognition of the centrality of both physical and intellectual exercises in the profession of actor helped defining the specificity of dramatic art in the second eighteenth century.