Théâtre de l'Étoile (Champs-Élysées)

The Théâtre de l'Étoile was a theatre located at 136 Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It was built in 1923 and operated as a theatre until 1926. It is not be confused with a completely unrelated theatre, also called Théâtre de l'Étoile, which operated from 1928 to 1964 on the Avenue Wagram.[1][2]

Poster for the premiere of Sacha Guitry's comedy L'Accroche-cœur at the Théâtre de l'Étoile in 1923

History

The theatre was built on the initiative of the playwright, director, and theatre manager Alphonse Franck who at the time was also the manager of the Théâtre Édouard VII. The new theatre, decorated in a colour scheme of red and gold, was situated on the first floor of a building on the corner of Avenue des Champs-Élysées and Rue Balzac. The building's penthouse was occupied by the flamboyant art collector and interior designer Carlos de Beistegui.[3][4][5]

Under Franck's direction the theatre staged Sacha Guitry's comedy L'Accroche-cœur in 1923 and Revue de Printemps in 1924, both starring Guitry and his then-wife Yvonne Printemps. Both were very successful, but subsequent productions of the operettas Amants légitimes and Pouche (with a libretto by Franck) were commercial failures.[3]

In 1925 Franck sold the Étoile to Camille Choisy, the manager of the Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, and Jacques Jouvin, one of the directors there.[6] At the Étoile, they premiered René Mercier's operetta Le Pêché capiteux starring Arletty in September 1925 and in November staged Josephine Baker's show La Revue Nègre after its initial run at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.[6][7]

The theatre closed definitively in early 1926 after which it became a dance and cabaret hall operating under a variety of names in the ensuing years: "L'Embassy", "Le panache", and "La joie dans la cave". It was eventually demolished and replaced by offices and shops.[1][2]

References
  1. Bibliothèque nationale de France. "Théâtre de l'Étoile. Paris, 136 avenue des Champs-Élysées". Retrieved 28 June 2018 (in French).
  2. Gana, Jacques (2007). "Les Théâtres parisiens: Etoile". Encyclopédie multimédia de la comédie musicale théâtrale en France. Retrieved 28 June 2018 (in French).
  3. Gänzl, Kurt (1994). The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, Vol. 1, p. 487. Schirmer Books. ISBN 0028714458
  4. Bethléem, Louis (ed.) (1924). "L'Accroche-cœur". Revue des lectures, Vol. 12, p. 43
  5. Caracalla, Jean-Paul (2009). Champs-Élysées: Une histoire. pp. 27–28. Editions de la Table Ronde. ISBN 9782710384236 (in French)
  6. Chauveau, Philippe (1999). Les théâtres parisiens disparus: 1402-1986, p. 215. Editions de l'Amandier. ISBN 2907649302
  7. Baker, Jean-Claude and Chase, Chris (2001). Josephine Baker: The Hungry Heart, p. 121. Cooper Square Press. ISBN 1461661099

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