French Literature Reviews - 2026
V. Mazza, Albert Camus and *State of Siege*. The Genesis of a Production
Theatre and Performance
Vincenzo Mazza
Albert Camus et L'État de siège. Genèse d'un spectacle,
Classiques Garnier, collection "Études sur le théâtre et les arts de la scène", 2017.
EAN13 : 9782406065494. — 459 p. — 49 €
State of Siege is the sole collaborative work between Albert Camus and Jean-Louis Barrault. Premiered on October 27, 1948, at the Théâtre Marigny, the production reflects Camus's pursuit of a "modern tragedy" alongside Barrault's vision of "total theatre." Tracing the history and historiography of *State of Siege* requires examining the genesis of a theatrical project that began with Barrault and Artaud's collaboration in the mid-1930s, continued with the attempted partnership with Sartre during the Nazi Occupation, and ultimately culminated in the teaming up with Camus following the publication of *The Plague*. "I have never ceased to consider," Camus would remark, "that of all my writings, *State of Siege* is perhaps the one that resembles me the most."
The theatrical landscape of postwar France was deeply marked by the search for new forms capable of addressing contemporary crises. Within the broader tradition of modern drama, practitioners sought to move beyond conventional realism toward more encompassing modes of staging. The collaboration between Camus and Barrault at the Théâtre Marigny formed part of this ongoing evolution in French stagecraft, intersecting with broader intellectual debates concerning tragedy, collective experience, and the role of the artist in society during the mid-twentieth century.
Readers interested in the history of twentieth-century French theatre, the practical realization of dramatic texts, or the collaborative networks surrounding Albert Camus and Jean-Louis Barrault may find this study relevant. Vincenzo Mazza traces the development of State of Siege from its early roots in the 1930s through the Occupation years to its 1948 premiere, examining how the production emerged from intersecting artistic visions and theatrical experiments of the period.