Industrial · Architecture

Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord

Paris

The Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord is a theatre building in Paris, located at 37 bis, boulevard de la Chapelle, in the 10th arrondissement and served by La Chapelle metro station. Commissioned by architect Émile Leménil for café-concert use, it was built on caserne foundations with an abandoned project and inaugurated in 1876. Its seating is distributed in parterre, loges, and gallery.

The theatre was established in an outlying popular district of La Chapelle and experienced successive managements that struggled to attract the Parisian public. In 1885, Abel Ballet acquired the venue and staged large historical frescoes, including La Reine Margot by Alexandre Dumas, featuring Yvette Guilbert. The Théâtre de l’Œuvre company performed there from 1893 to 1894, and Emmanuel Clot and G. Dublay took over in 1896. Restored and electrified in 1904, it was renamed Théâtre Molière. After closing at the outbreak of the First World War, it reopened in 1917 as a music-hall. The theatre reopened again in 1974 with an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens by Jean-Claude Carrière, directed by Peter Brook. It has been designated a historical monument, and Brook gradually relinquished direction in 2008.

Map showing the location of Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris
Location of Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris

Nearby Objects

Location of the Theatre

The Theatre des Bouffes du Nord is a performance venue in Paris. It is a salle de spectacles located at 37 bis, boulevard de la Chapelle, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. The site is served by La Chapelle metro station, which provides access to the theatre's immediate area.

From Cafe-Concert to Historic Theatre

The Theatre des Bouffes du Nord was commissioned by architect Emile Lemenil for cafe-concert use and built on caserne foundations from an abandoned project. It was inaugurated in 1876 in the outlying popular district of La Chapelle. The building included seating arranged in parterre, loges, and gallery. Over time, successive managements struggled to attract the Parisian public.

In 1885, Abel Ballet acquired the theatre and staged large historical frescoes, including La Reine Margot by Alexandre Dumas with Yvette Guilbert. From 1893 to 1894, the theatre hosted the Theatre de l Oeuvre company. In 1896, Emmanuel Clot and G. Dublay took over its direction.

A restoration and electrification in 1904 led to its renaming as Theatre Moliere. During this period, authors such as Henry Kistemaeckers, Georges Darien, and Gaston Leroux were programmed there. The Theatre Moliere closed at the outbreak of the First World War and reopened in 1917 as a music-hall under Oscar Dufrenne and Henri Varna, who also owned several music-halls including Concert Mayol. Henry Darcet succeeded the management in 1923 and joined the Consortium des theatres de quartiers, which toured boulevard successes.

The theatre reopened again in 1974 with a Shakespeare adaptation of Timon of Athens, adapted by Jean-Claude Carriere and directed by Peter Brook. It was later designated as a historical monument.

Recent Leadership and Foyer Decoration

In 2008, Peter Brook decided to gradually relinquish direction of the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord. The theatre's management changed again in autumn 2010, when Olivier Mantei and Olivier Poubelle took over the direction. Both came from the music world, marking a new stage in the theatre's recent history. In 2020, the foyer ceiling was decorated by the painter Gerard Fromanger, adding a contemporary artistic intervention to the venue's interior.