Boulevard theatre is a theatrical aesthetic that emerged from the boulevards ofParis' old city.[1][2]
Starting from the second half of the 18th century, popular and bourgeois theatre alike took up residence on theboulevard du Temple, then nicknamed 'boulevard du Crime' due to the manymelodramas and murder stories shown there. In addition to the many attractions on display there –fireworks,pantomime, acrobats, etc. – a so-called 'boulevard' repertoire emerged separate from upper-class theatre. Then, starting from theSecond French Empire,vaudeville theatre andcomédie d'intrigue arrived on the scene.
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Boulevard theatre consists mostly of comedies but also dramas. In general, the characters are simply drawn, ordinary or easily understandable. There is a strong tendency to avoid touchy subjects, such as politics and religion. The style is not designed to challenge preconceived ideas or offend. Examples include such sex comedies asLa Cage aux Folles andBoeing Boeing.
Georges Feydeau, most active between 1890 and 1920, often produced up to the 21st century, is a boulevard theatre playwright whose satiric plays often take aim at adulterers and libertines in a manner not generally seen in British theatre of the same era.
