Jardin de Shakespeare Open Air Theatre

Text: Nick Forester

Back in 1857, in the years following the foundation of the Bois de Boulogne as a public park, a small open-air theatre, the Théâtre de Fleurs, was founded. 

Over the following century the theatre encountered various problems with heightened competition and fell in to disrepair with the arrival of the First World War. Fortunately though, there remains a theatre on the same site today. 

The Jardin de Shakespeare was founded in 1953, with help from the Amis de la France and the then chief of Paris' public gardens and parks, Monsieur Joffet.

The theatre is set in the Pré-Catelan area of the park and has five small gardens, each named after a Shakespearean play. It hosts both French and English language productions in the Spring and Summer months, with London's Tower Theatre Company visiting every June since 1992.

This year two 17th Century comedies are taking to the stage and with one from each side of le Manche, there is a healthy spread to please Anglo-French tastes, even though both are performed in French.

Molière's Les Fourberies de Scapin is running until the 29th August, representing France and an ever so slightly lesser know play is representing England this September, Ben Jonson's Volpone.

Les Fourberies de Scapin is something of a romp, heavily influenced by Italian comedy. Moliere's exuberant characterization and conceited play on the notion of a happy ending make for entertaining and  accessible viewing.

Volpone carries a more deeply satirical tone. The popular black comedy is set in Venice and often considered amongst the finest Renaissance Comedies ever.

This summer the Jardin de Shakespeare provides a delightful setting for an evening’s entertainment, novel for visitors and residents alike.