Théâtre de l’Atelier, a Montmartre theatre since 1822

The Théâtre de l’Atelier, on place Charles-Dullin in Montmartre, opened on 23 November 1822 as the Théâtre des Jeunes Élèves, then the Théâtre Montmartre. Pierre-Jacques Seveste, who held the licence for theatres outside the city limits, had it built by Louis-Pierre Haudebourt; Pierre Cicéri and Évariste Fragonard decorated it.

His sons Jules and Edmond Seveste kept it until 1849. A cinema from 1913, it was bought in 1922 by Charles Dullin, who renamed it the Atelier and made it a theatre of poetry and reflection. There he staged Antigone in Cocteau’s adaptation, with music by Honegger, sets by Picasso, costumes by Chagall and Antonin Artaud as Tiresias.

André Barsacq followed from 1940 to 1973, premiering Anouilh, Marcel Aymé, Françoise Sagan and Dürrenmatt, and launching Suzanne Flon, Delphine Seyrig, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Michel Bouquet. Pierre and Danièle Franck then ran the house until 1998, when Laura Pels bought it; Rose Berthet has directed it since 2022.

Listed as a historic monument since 1965, the 563-seat theatre opens onto place Charles-Dullin in the 18th arrondissement. It stages new work, contemporary plays, Fabrice Luchini and concerts for babies.