L’Odéon est ouvert !!! Theatrical Activism in Paris 1968 and 2021

Abstract

The Théâtre Odéon in Paris has a long history of occupation and political protest. On 15 May 1968, students, artists, and workers converted the iconic monument into a political stage to express their concerns and dissatisfaction with the conservative political system of President Charles de Gaulle. After occupations in 1992 and 2016, the theatre has once more become the stage of political protest and centre of public attention. On 4 March 2021, protestors occupied the Théâtre Odéon to fight for support for the two hundred and seventy-five thousand intermittents du spectacle, i.e. cultural part-time workers, who have been deprived of their work and livelihood due to the coronavirus pandemic. This paper examines theatrical practices, symbolic elements, mobilising techniques, and means of communication during the Odéon occupations and places a particular focus on the intertwined relationship between aesthetics and politics that develops as soon as protest movements conquer a cultural institution.