Born: Cerisole, Bordeaux, France, 23 June 1910. Education: Educated at Ecole Colbert, Bordeaux; College Chaptal; studied law at the Sorbonne, Paris, 1928-29. Military Service: Served during the 1930s. Family: Married 1) the actress Monelle Valentin in 1931 (divorced 1953), one daughter; 2) Nicole Langon in 1953, two daughters and one son. Career: Publicity and gag writer for films, and advertising copywriter for Publicite Damour, Paris, 2 years; secretary, Louis Jouvet’s Comedie des Champs-Elysees, Paris, 1931-32; assistant to the director Georges Pitoeff; full-time writer; also a film director. Awards: Grand prize of the French Cinema, 1949; Tony award (United States), 1955; New York Drama Critics Circle award, 1957; Cino del Duca prize, 1970; French Drama Critics award, 1970; Paris Critics prize, 1971. Died: 3 October 1987.
Publications
Plays
L’Hermine (produced 1932). 1934; as The Ermine, translated by Miriam John, in Plays of the Year, 13, 1956; also translated by John, in Five Plays (I), 1958.
La Mandarine (produced 1933).
Y’avait un prisonnier (produced 1935). In La Petite Illustration, 1935.
Le Voyageur sans bagage (produced 1937). In Pieces noires, 1942; edited by Diane W. Birckbichler, 1973; as Traveller Without Luggage, translated by John Whiting, 1959; also translated by Whiting, in Seven Plays, 1967; Lucienne Hill, 1959.
La Sauvage (produced 1938). 1938; as The Restless Heart, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1957; also translated by Hill, in Five Plays (II), 1959.
Le Bal des voleurs (produced 1938). 1938; as Thieves’ Carnival, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1952; also translated by Hill, in Seven Plays, 1967.
Leocadia (produced 1940). In Pieces roses, 1942; edited by Bettina L. Knapp and Alba Della Fazia, 1965; as Time Remembered, translated by Patricia Moyes, 1955; also in Five Plays (II), 1959; as Leocadia, translated by Timberlake Wertenbaker, in Five Plays, 1987.
Marie-Jeanne; ou, La Fille du peuple, from a play by Dennery and Mallain (produced 1940).
Le Rendez-vous de Senlis (produced 1941). In Pieces roses, 1942; as Dinner with the Family, translated by Edward O. Marsh, 1958.
Eurydice (produced 1942). In Pieces noires, 1942; edited by E. Freeman, with Medee, 1984; as Point of Departure, translated by Kitty Black, 1951; as Legend of Lovers, translated by Black, 1952; as Eurydice, translated by Black, in Five Plays (I), 1958.
Pieces roses (includes Le Bal des voleurs; Le Rendez-vous de Senlis; Leocadia). 1942; enlarged edition (includes Humulus le muet), 1958.
Pieces noires (includes L’Hermine; La Sauvage; Le Voyageur sans bagage; Eurydice). 1942.
Antigone, from the play by Sophocles (produced 1944). 1946; edited by W.M. Landers, 1954; also edited by R. Laubreaux, 1965, and J. Monferier, 1968; as Antigone, translated and adapted by Lewis Galantiere, 1946; also translated by Lothian Small, with Eurydice, 1951; in Five Plays (I), 1958; Barbara Bray, in Five Plays, 1987.
Romeo et Jeannette (produced 1946). In Nouvelles pieces noires, 1946; as Romeo and Jeannette, translated by Miriam John, in Five Plays (I), 1958.
Nouvelles pieces noires (includes Jezabel; Antigone; Romeo et Jeannette; Medee). 1946.
Medee (produced 1953). In Nouvelles pieces noires, 1946; as Medea, translated by Lothian Small, in Plays of the Year, 15, 1956; as Medea: A "Black" Play, translated by Luce and Arthur Klein 1957; also translated by Klein and Klein, in Seven Plays, 1967.
L’Invitation au chateau (produced 1947). 1948; as Ring Round the Moon, translated by Christopher Fry, 1950.
Ardele; ou, La Marguerite (produced 1948). 1949; as Ardele, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1951; also translated by Hill, in Five Plays (II), 1959.
Les Demoiselles de la nuit (ballet scenario; produced 1948).
Episode de la vie d’un auteur (produced 1948). With La Belle Vie, 1980; as Episode in the Life of an Author, translated by Miriam John, in Seven Plays, 1967.
Humulus le muet, with Jean Aurenche (produced 1948). N.d; as Humulus the Mute, translated by Michael Benedikt, in Modern French Theatre, 1964.
La Repetition; ou, L’Amour puni (produced 1950). 1950; as The Rehearsal, translated by Pamela Hansford Johnson and Kitty Black, in Five Plays (I), 1958; also translated by Jeremy Sams, 1991.
Colombe (produced 1951). In Pieces brillantes, 1951; as Colombe, translated by Denis Cannan, 1952; as Mademoiselle Colombe, in Five Plays (II), 1959.
Monsieur Vincent (screenplay), with Jean Bernard Luc. 1951.
Pieces brillantes (includes L’Invitation au chateau; Colombe; La Repetition; Cecile). 1951.
Cecile; ou, L’Ecole desperes (produced 1954). In Pieces brillantes, 1951; as Cecile; or, The School for Fathers, translated by Luce and Arthur Klein, in From the Modern Repertoire, 3, edited by Eric Bentley, 1956; also translated by Klein and Klein, in Seven Plays, 1967.
La Valse des toreadors (produced 1952) 1952; as Waltz of the Toreadors, translated by Lucienne Hill in Plays of the Year, 8, 1953; revised translation by Hill, in Five Plays, 1987.
La Nuit des rois, from the play by Shakespeare (produced 1961). In Trois comedies, 1952.
Le Loup (ballet scenario), with Georges Neveux. 1953.
L’Alouette (produced 1953). 1953; edited by Merlin Thomas and Simon Lee, 1956; as The Lark, translated by Christopher Fry, 1955; in Five Plays (II), 1959; translated by Fry, in Five Plays, 1987.
Ornifle; ou, Le Courant d’air (produced 1955). 1956; as Ornifle, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1970; as It’s Later Than You Think, translated by Hill, 1970.
Il est important d’etre aime, with Claude Vincent, from the play by Oscar Wilde (produced 1964). In L’Avant-scene, 101, 1955.
Pauvre Bitos; ou, Le Diner de tetes (produced 1956). In Pieces gringantes, 1956; as Poor Bitos, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1964; revised translation by Hill, in Five Plays, 1987.
Pieces gringantes (includes Ardele; La Valse des toreadors; Ornifle; Pauvre Bitos). 1956.
Five Plays (I) (includes Antigone; Eurydice; The Ermine; The Rehearsal; Romeo and Jeannette), translated by Miriam John, Lucienne Hill, Lewis Galantiere, and Kitty Black. 1958.
Five Plays (II) (includes The Restless Heart; Time Remembered; Ardele; Mademoiselle Colombe; The Lark), translated by Lucienne Hill, Patricia Moyes, Louis Kronenberger, and Lilian Hellman.1959.
L’Hurluberlu; ou, Le Reactionnaire amoureux (produced 1959). 1959; as The Fighting Cock, translated and adapted by Lucienne Hill, 1960.
Becket; ou, L’Honneur deDieu (produced 1959). 1959; as Becket; or, The Honor of God, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1961.
Madame de. . . (in English, produced 1959). 1959.
La Petite Moliere, with Roland Laudenback (produced 1959). In L’Avant-scene, 1959.
Le Songe du critique (produced 1960). In L’Avant-scene, 143, 1959.
Pieces costumees (includes L’Alouette; Becket; La Foire d’empoigne).1960.
La Foire d’empoigne (produced 1962). In Pieces costumees, 1960; as Catch as Catch Can, translated by Lucienne Hill, in Seven Plays, 1967.
Tartuffe, from the play by Moliere (produced 1960). In L’Avant-scene, 1961.
La Grotte (produced 1961). 1961; as The Cavern, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1966.
Victor; ou, Les Enfants au pouvoir, from the play by Roger Vitrac (produced 1962). In L’Avant-scene, 1962.
L’Amant complaisant, with Nicole Anouilh, from the play by Graham Greene (produced 1962). 1962.
L’Orchestre (produced 1962). 1970; as The Orchestra, translated by Miriam John, in Seven Plays, 1967; published separately, 1975.
Richard III, from the play by Shakespeare (produced 1964). N.d. L’Ordalie; ou, La Petite Catherine de Heilbronn, from a story by Heinrich von Kleist (produced 1966). In L’Avant-scene, 1967.
Collected Plays. 2 vols., 1966-67.
Seven Plays (includes Thieves’ Carnival; Medea; Cecile; or, The School for Fathers; Traveller Without Luggage; The Orchestra; Episode in the Life of an Author; Catch as Catch Can), translated by John Whiting, Luce and Arthur Klein, Miriam John, and Lucienne Hill. 1967.
Le Boulanger, la boulangere, et le petit mitron (produced 1968), 1969.
Theatre complet. 9 vols., 1968.
Cher Antoine; ou, L’Amour rate (produced 1969). 1969; as Dear Antoine; or, The Love That Failed, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1971.
Le Theatre; ou, La Vie comme elle est (produced 1970).
Ne Reveillez pas Madame (produced 1970). 1970.
Les Poissons rouges; ou, Mon pere, ce heros (produced 1970). 1970.
Nouvelles pieces gringantes (includes L’Hurluberlu; La Grotte; L’Orchestre; Le Boulanger, la boulangere, et le petit mitron; Les Poissons rouges). 1970.
Tu etais si gentil quand tu etais petit (produced 1971). 1972.
Le Directeur de l’Opera (produced 1973). 1972; as The Director of the Opera, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1973.
Pieces baroques (includes Chef Antoine; Ne Reveillez pas Madame;Le Directeur de l’Opera). 1974.
Monsieur Barnett (produced 1974). In L’Avant-scene, 559, 1975.
L’Arrestation (produced 1975). 1975; as The Arrest, translated by Lucienne Hill, 1978.
Le Scenario (produced 1976). 1976.
Chers Zoizeaux (produced 1976). 1977.
Pieces secretes (includes Tu etais si gentil quand tu etais petit; L’Arrestation; Le Scenario). 1977.
Vive Henri IV. 1977.
La Culotte (produced 1978). 1978.
La Belle Vie (television play), with Episode de la vie d’un auteur. 1980.
Le Nombril (produced 1981). 1981; as Number One, translated by Michael Frayn, 1984.
Pieces farceuses (includes Chers Zoiseaux; La Culotte; Episode de la vie d’un auteur; Le Nombril). 1984.
Oedipe; ou, Le Roi boiteux, from the play by Sophocles. 1986.
Thomas More; ou, L’Homme libre (screenplay). 1987.
Five Plays (includes Antigone; Leocadia; The Lark; Poor Bitos; The Waltz of the Toreadors), translated by Barbara Bray, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Christopher Fry, and Lucienne Hill. 1987.
Plays 2 (includes The Rehearsal; Becket; Eurydice; The Orchestra). 1992.
Vive Henri IV!, ou, La Galigai, 2000.
Screenplays: Les Deyourdis de la onzieme, with Jean Aurenche, 1936; Vous n’avez rien a declarer, with Jean Aurenche, 1937; Les Otages, with Jean Aurenche, 1939; Cavalcade d’amour, 1939; Le Voyageur sans bagage (Identity Unknown), with Jean Aurenche, 1944; Monsieur Vincent, with Jean Bernard Luc, 1947; Anna Karenina, with Julien Duvivier and Guy Morgan, 1948; Pattes blanches, with Jean Bernard Luc, 1949; Caroline cherie, 1951; Deux sous de violettes, with Monelle Valentin, 1951; Le Rideau rouge, 1952; Le Chevalier de la nuit, 1953; La Mort de belle (The Passion of Slow Fire), 1961; La Ronde, 1964; A Time for Loving, 1972.
Television Plays: Le Jeune Homme et le lion, 1976; La Belle Vie, 1979.
Other
Michel-Marie Poulain, with Pierre Imbourg and Andre Warnod.1953.
Fables. 1962.
Robert Brasillach et la generation perdue, with others. 1987.
La Vicomtesse d’Eristal n’apas regu son balaimecanique: souvenirs d’un jeune homme (autobiography). 1987.
Critical Studies:
Anouilh by Marguerite Archer, 1951; Jean Anouilh: Poet of Pierrot and Pantaloon by Edward O. Marsh, 1953; The World of Jean Anouilh by Leonard C. Pronko, 1961; Anouilh: A Study of Theatrics by John Harvey, 1964; Anouilh: La Peine de vivre by Clement Borgal, 1966; Jean Anouilh by Philip Thody, 1968; Anouilh by Alba della Fazia Amoia, 1969; Jean Anouilh: Textes d’Anouilh, points de vue critiques, temoignages, chronologie, bibliographie, illustrations by Paul Ginestier, 1969; ”Antigone”: Analyse critique by Etienne Frois, 1972; Theatre d’Anouilh by Bernard Beugnot, 1973; Jean Anouilh: Stages in Rebellion by Branko Lenski, 1975; La Purete dans le theatre de Jean Anouilh by Andre F. Rombout, 1975; Le Theatre de Jean Anouilh by Jacques Vier, 1976; Anouilh, litterature et politique by Elie de Comminges, 1977; Jean Anouilh by Lewis W. Falb, 1977; Lecture d’Anouilh: Textes et reflexions critiques by Benito d’Ajetti, 1978; Jean Anouilh: Les Problemes de l’existance dans un theatre de marionettes by Therese Malachy, 1978; The Theatre of Jean Anouilh by H.G. McIntyre, 1981; Anouilh: Antigone by W.D. Howarth, 1983; Jean Anouilh: Life, Work, and Criticism by Christopher Smith, 1985; Pour Saluer Jean Anouilh by Christophe Mercier, 1995.
After two early plays, L’Hermine (The Ermine) and Y’avait un prisonnier, considered promising but not extremely successful, Jean Anouilh achieved his real breakthrough, artistically and financially, with Le Voyageur sans bagage (Traveller Without Luggage), and later seasons in Paris almost always included a new Anouilh work, many subsequently revived in England and America. These three works, along with the contemporary Jezabel, and La Sauvage (The Restless Heart), were characterized by their author as pieces noires (”black plays”), in contrast to three other works of the same period, Le Bal des voleurs (Thieves’ Carnival), Le Rendez-vous de Senlis (Dinner with the Family) and Leocadia (Time Remembered), which he designated pieces roses (”rose plays”). A common theme of these plays is shared by Anouilh with the pioneers of modern realistic drama, especially Ibsen—the burden of the environment and especially of the past on a protagonist seeking a happier, freer existence. Although neither type of play takes an ultimately optimistic position, the ”black plays” generally demonstrate the hopelessness of this dream, while the ”rose plays” allow their protagonists at least a temporary happiness, often through an escape into a world of make-believe.
During the 1940s Anouilh, while maintaining his complex tonality and deft dramatic technique, turned from contemporary to mythical, classic, and historic subjects and to themes more closely related to the concerns of such writers as Sartre and Camus. Now the past was regarded as only part of the contingent circumstances of existence against which the independent spirit of the protagonist must define itself. The best-known play of this group is Antigone, which established Anouilh as a leading dramatist, not only because of the power with which he drew the classic confrontation between the uncompromising Antigone and the politically expedient Creon, but because French theatre-goers under the occupation read the play as a contemporary political parable. The immediate post-war plays Romeo et Jeannette (Romeo and Jeannette) and Medee (Medea) similarly focused upon protagonists who refused to strike a bargain with the world of compromise. Much the same spirit infuses Anouilh’s Joan of Arc story L’Alouette (The Lark), the success of which rivalled that of Antigone.
With the exception of The Lark, Anouilh’s plays of the late 1940s and the 1950s depict a darker and crueller universe, where his heroic protagonists give way to more common souls who have in one way or another accepted life as it is—simply and unquestioningly, as victims, or calculatedly and manipulatively. Anouilh divided his plays of this period into pieces brillantes (”brilliant plays”) and pieces gringantes (”grating plays”). The ”brilliance” of the first group, L’Invitation au chateau (Ring Round the Moon), Cecile, La Repetition; ou, L’Amour puni (The Rehearsal), and Colombe, comes from their elegant, aristocratic settings and from their polished, witty language, often reminiscent of the sparkle of Marivaux (indeed it is a Marivaux play that is being rehearsed in The Rehearsal). The pain and cruelty of life and the inevitability of death are still present, but these can be put aside at least temporarily by the pleasures of living for the moment, often developed in specifically theatrical metaphors. A darker tone and a more bitter humour mark the ”grating plays,” Ardele, La Valse des toreadors (Waltz of the Toreadors), Ornifle, Pauvre Bitos; ou, Le Diner de tetes (Poor Bitos), and L’Hurluberlu; ou, Le Reactionnaire amoureux (The Fighting Cock). Here, as in the ”brilliant plays,” the idealistic young lovers of Anouilh’s early works have been replaced by middle-aged characters, all too aware of the disillusion of passing time.
Becket, a major international success, depicts another historical martyr, Thomas a Becket, and La Foire d’empoigne (Catch as Catch Can) pits a cynical and gross Napoleon against a noble but ineffective Louis XVIII. These, along with The Lark, were characterized by Anouilh as his pieces costumees (”costume plays”), although they share not only historical ”costumed” settings, but also an idealistic protagonist seeking a moral path in a world of corruption and manipulation. In each case the quest ends in death and apparent defeat, but the hero leaves the history of his struggle as an example and inspiration for others, and so the forces of nobility achieve at least a qualified affirmation.
Anouilh’s final period begins with La Grotte (The Cavern). It is a Pirandellian work, whose central character is a frustrated author and whose action concerns the tensions of a play he has been unable to write. Anouilh felt his subsequent plays took a new direction, but this is more a matter of emphasis than of actual new concerns. The interrelationship of theatre and life is a theme recurrent throughout his oeuvre, but it takes on a special prominence in these late works, whose central figures are most often dramatists or theatre directors. Family relationships and the tensions of private life, another long-time concern, are also central in the late plays. In a number of them a special relationship exists between theatre and family, suggesting, as Maeterlinck argued in ”The Tragedy in Everyday Life,” that the inner drama of everyday interpersonal relationships is more profound and more important than the traditional heightened action of ”theatre.” Antoine, the playwright-protagonist of CherAntoine; ou, L’Amour rate (Dear Antoine; or, The Love That Failed), advocates an attention to such pieces secretes (”secret dramas”)—the title of an Anouilh collection.
In the last plays, concluding with Le Nombril (Number One), the author, however successful and honoured, becomes ever more isolated from friends and family, who simultaneously blame him for all their misfortunes and feed upon his success. Anouilh’s dark view of the human condition here reaches its final expression. His young heroes are constrained by the past and by social circumstances; the more mature protagonists of the ”grating plays” suffered more personal unhappiness from their own ageing and in their human relationships. The artists of the final plays, with death close upon them, find that even the closest relationships are tainted by selfishness and greed, and offer as consolation only whatever appreciation artist and audience may derive from a sensitive awareness of life’s ”secret drama.”
