Théâtre du Palais-Royal, on rue de Montpensier since 1784

The Théâtre du Palais-Royal on rue de Montpensier dates from 1784, when Victor Louis built a small hall for the puppets of Delomel and Jean-Nicolas Gardeur. Opened on 23 October 1784 as the Théâtre des Beaujolais, it soon had children miming the roles while adults sang from the wings.

Mademoiselle Montansier took it over in 1790 and ran it until 1806. Closed in 1812, the hall came back to life with Dormeuil, who had it rebuilt: the Théâtre du Palais-Royal opened on 6 June 1831. Eugène Labiche and Victorien Sardou made their names there, and Offenbach premiered La Vie parisienne in 1866.

In 1880 Paul Sédille redecorated the hall in Louis XV style, with sculptures by Dalou, and placed the fire escape on the façade, on metal walkways faced with mosaics. Gustave Quinson ran it from 1912 to 1942; Mistinguett and Raimu performed there. Since 2013 Francis Nani and Sébastien Azzopardi have directed it.

In the 1st arrondissement, the 716-seat hall overlooks the gardens of the Palais-Royal; its façades and roof have been listed since 1930. It stages comedy and musical theatre, including Alexis Michalik’s Edmond.