French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Badiou, In Praise of Theatre
Theatre and Performance
In Praise of Theatre
Alain Badiou, Nicolas Truong
PUBLICATION DATE: 15/05/13 PUBLISHER: Flammarion SERIES: Café Voltaire ISBN: 978-2-08-130318-8 EAN: 9782081303188 FORMAT: Paperback NO. OF PAGES: 93 p.
How can we address people in such a way that they think about their lives differently than they usually do? Theatre, the most complete of all arts, responds to this question with incomparable power.
Read the 2016 reissue online via Cairn (Champs Flammarion)…
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An article about this work can be read on nonfiction.fr:
Alain Badiou, one of France's most prominent contemporary philosophers, has long maintained a deep relationship with the stage, both as a theorist and a playwright. In this volume, structured as an interview with journalist Nicolas Truong, Badiou defends theatre against its detractors and modern commercialization. He positions the stage as a crucial site for collective thought and political awakening, continuing a philosophical tradition that links aesthetics directly to truth and ethics.
The text addresses the fundamental question of how art can disrupt our daily routines and challenge our perceptions of reality. By examining theatre as the most complete of all arts, the authors explore its unique ability to combine language, physical presence, and collective experience. This accessible dialogue will appeal to students of philosophy, theatre practitioners, and general readers interested in the social and political role of performance. It offers a vital defense of the stage as a space for intellectual and emotional transformation.