French Literature Reviews - 2026

V. Perruchon, Noir. Lumière et théâtralité
Theatre and Performance

Véronique Perruchon, Noir. Lumière et théâtralité, Villeneuve d'Ascq, Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 2016, 304 p.

978-2-7574-1285-5

24€

This study offers a historical and aesthetic exploration of darkness in the theater. Through concrete examples, the book traces its evolution and establishes darkness as a distinct form of lighting among theatrical staging components.

From the 15th to the 17th century, light was a luxury. In the 19th century—an era marked by "the darkening of theaters"—blackout became an ally of theatrical illusion. Approaching the 20th century, darkness gradually claimed its place and its aesthetic richness. Ultimately, thanks to symbolism, naturalism, and expressionism, artists began to "dim the lights and work with shadow." From then on, much like the Futurists, the dance of Loïe Fuller, and shadow theater, darkness could be fully experienced and played with within the framework of the theatrical black box.

In terms of visual arts, in the 21st century, darkness reveals itself through both its absence and its presence. Darkness assumes the poetic and political dimensions of theater, transforming into an "image devourer" and a medium that brings to light major contemporary tragedies.

Véronique Perruchon is a professor at the University of Lille and a member of the Center for the Study of Contemporary Arts (CEAC EA 3587). After beginning her professional career as a lighting designer, her research has focused on the spectacular nature of theater.

The study explores the shifting roles of darkness and illumination across centuries of dramatic production, connecting technical developments in stagecraft with broader aesthetic movements. By examining specific historical periods, the work traces how staging practices adapted from early conditions where light was scarce to modern environments defined by controlled blackout. It highlights the contributions of nineteenth-century theatrical illusion and subsequent artistic currents such as symbolism, naturalism, and expressionism in redefining the relationship between visibility and concealment on stage. Readers interested in the history of stagecraft and visual aesthetics may find this exploration relevant.

The analysis also extends into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, considering how modern technological innovations and avant-garde practices allowed darkness to function as an independent artistic medium. Movements such as futurism, developments in dance, and shadow theater are referenced to illustrate how shadow acquired poetic and political dimensions within contemporary performance and the visual arts. Written by a scholar with a background in lighting design, the book situates these developments within the wider context of theatrical studies and contemporary art research.