Rewolucja francuska a wolność widowisk. Od pełnej liberalizacji do ścisłej kontroli (1789-1793)
The French Revolution and Freedom of Spectacles: From Complete Liberalisation to Strict Control (1789-1793)

Summary/Abstract: Neither the storming of the Bastille nor the subsequent Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen ushered in a significant liberalisation of France’s theatrical institutions. For months afterwards, the royal theatres clung tenaciously to their privileges and monopolies, stifling the growth of private scenes. Meanwhile, they were unlikely to join the public effort for the moral regeneration of the nation. Under mounting public pressure, the National Assembly finally enacted a decree on freedom of spectacles in January 1791. Henceforth, any citizen could establish a theatre to stage productions of their choice, including the works of classical authors. The power to determine what was seen on stage shifted from royal censors and privileged troupes to the discerning eye of the audience. Yet, as the Republic faced escalating radicalisation, war, and civil unrest, it became imperative to reassert control over theatrical institutions, which had become battlegrounds for supporters and detractors of the Revolution. The young Republic’s survival hinged on its citizens’ identification with its new values and virtues, and the stage emerged as a potent vehicle for shaping this allegiance. The paper aims to trace some elements of this evolution within its historical, social, and political context.

• Details
• Contents