Type Public theatre Opened 1976 | Capacity 900 Phone +33 1 46 14 70 00 | |
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Address 7 Avenue Pablo Picasso, 92000 Nanterre, France Similar Théâtre national de la Colline, Théâtre de la Commune, Odéon‑Théâtre de l'Europe, Théâtre de la Ville, Théâtre national de Chaillot Profiles | ||
The Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers, also Théâtre des Amandiers, is a theatre in Nanterre and a known theatre outside of Paris. The present building opened in 1976. The company is a Centre dramatique national (National dramatic center), a national public theatre. Artistic directors included Patrice Chéreau and Catherine Tasca (1982), Jean-Pierre Vincent (1990) and Jean-Louis Martinelli (2002). The theatre runs a film studio and an acting school which is connected to theatre studies at the Paris West University Nanterre La Défense.
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History
The theatre developed from the Festival de Nanterre, first staged in 1965 in a circus tent. In 1966 it was moved to the University of Nanterre. From 1971 it was made a Centre dramatique national, a national public theater, and received public funding.
In 1976 the theatre moved to the Maison de la Culture. That event is considered the inauguration of the theater. The building, which seats 900 people, is at 7 avenue Pablo Picasso in Nanterre. In 1982 the theatre was named Théâtre des Amandiers and directed by Patrice Chéreau and Catherine Tasca. Chéreau established a theatre school and a film studio. His first staging was Combat de nègres et de chiens by Bernard-Marie Koltès, followed by the author's Quai Ouest, Dans la solitude des champs de coton and Le retour au désert. Productions of Arthur Schnitzler's Das weite Land by Luc Bondy and a staged version of Louis-Ferdinand Céline's novel Journey to the End of the Night by André Engel were also notable. Chéreau staged plays by Jean Genet, Pierre de Marivaux, Heiner Müller, Jean Racine, and Shakespeare.
Jean-Pierre Vincent directed the theatre from 1990 to 2001. From 1991 to 2001 Georges Aperghis, the leader of the group L'ATEM, directed music productions. From 2001 Jean-Louis Martinelli directed the theatre.