Sunshine and Substance: The Comic Theater of Achard, Anouilh, Ayme, Roussin

Abstract

IN THE PAST FEW YEARS the American theater has become increasingly aware of a number of French playwrights whose existence they had previously all but ignored. Jean Anouilh, who began writing for the theater in 1931 and has long been considered a master in France, was for many years known here only as the author of a sombre Antigone which, even with the combined talents of Katharine Cornell and Sir Cedric Hardwicke, ran for a brief sixty-four performances.