French Literature Reviews - 2026

Alexandru Bumbas, La Dystopie théâtrale. Émergence d'une nouvelle forme dramatique
Theatre and Performance

Alexandru Bumbas, La Dystopie théâtrale. Émergence d'une nouvelle forme dramatique

Preface by Catherine Naugrette

Combining an analysis of the aesthetic discourse of authors such as Müller, Bond, and Barker with a dramaturgical study of their respective rewritings of Shakespeare, this study explores the emergence of a new dramatic form: theatrical dystopia. By employing the aesthetic (and political) instrumentalization of catastrophe—both Shakespearean and historical—these playwrights rapidly craft works that share a remarkably similar vision of the future of the world and of humanity. The apocalypse of King Lear and Hamlet's nightmarish vision of the world are grafted by these dramatists onto theatrical fabrics already underpinned by the traces of 20th- and 21st-century barbarism.

From Samuel Beckett's dystopian matrix Endgame to Howard Barker's more recent Brutopia, "theatrical dystopias" at first glance appear to run counter to any utopian function. Nevertheless, the apocalyptic tone (in the Derridean sense of the term) that characterizes them conceals aesthetic functions that re-examine catharsis and the very nature of theater. By analyzing these functions, the book demonstrates that these dramatic forms can also be viewed as dramaturgies designed to awaken consciousness and thereby resurrect the utopian impulse that humanity appears to have lost. This paradoxical process operates through recourse to an "inverted catharsis," in the sense of an intellectual overload and emotional retention that frequently reach a paroxysm. What is the connection between Utopia and "theatrical dystopia"?

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Born in Romania and naturalized French in 2017, Alexandru Bumbas holds a PhD in Theatre Studies from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3. He is also a playwright, stage director, artistic director, and founder of the theater company La Citadelle Dystopique. He has taught theater at Sorbonne Nouvelle, ESAD, and ESCA. In 2020, he received an award from the ARTCENA National Dramatic Creation Support scheme. His work is dedicated to exploring dystopian universes in contemporary theatrical creation. Recently, at INALCO in Paris, he began working on a second doctoral thesis in Jewish Studies, focusing particularly on Jewish dramaturgies from an anthropological perspective (Ezekiel the Tragedian, Judah Sommo, Hanoch Levin, etc.). This new thesis project earned him a research fellowship from the Rothschild Foundation. In 2021, he launched IN VIVO ARTS, an online artistic and academic research platform. La dystopie théâtrale : émergence d’une nouvelle forme dramatique is his first book—derived from a doctoral dissertation prepared under the supervision of Professor Catherine Naugrette.

Rooted in contemporary theatre studies, this study investigates how modern playwrights adapt classical models to address the anxieties of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. By examining the intersection of dramatic theory and political philosophy, the author traces a lineage from Samuel Beckett to Howard Barker. The volume situates its inquiry within broader discussions of the apocalyptic tone in literature, drawing on critical frameworks associated with thinkers like Jacques Derrida. It appeals to scholars and practitioners interested in the evolution of dramatic genres, modern tragedy, and the political dimensions of stagecraft.

The book addresses central questions concerning the survival of utopian thought in an era dominated by catastrophe and historical trauma. By introducing the concept of inverted catharsis, the analysis sheds light on how unsettling theatrical experiences can stimulate critical reflection rather than mere emotional release. This rigorous approach illuminates the mechanisms through which contemporary drama engages with socio-political collapse. It serves as an essential resource for those seeking to understand the shifting boundaries between performance, philosophy, and dystopian literature in contemporary culture.