What is the type of closed session?
Written at the end of 1943, Huis Clos is a play by Jean-Paul Sartre composed in a single act.
It was performed for the first time in 1944, in Paris.
The genre of
Huis Clos ,
theatrical, is one of the great favorites of many readers but the one that the author of this work gives us to read is quite unique since it goes beyond the codes previously imposed.
But all eras have their rebellions!
The theatrical genre, the genre of Huis Clos
The singularity of the
theatrical genre comes from the fact that the author expresses himself solely through the words of his people. He cannot therefore intervene directly in the dialogue... There are obviously exceptions and many works prove the opposite, but only the characters are supposed to be the bearers of this secret...
The descriptions of each of the characters can be done thanks to what we call stage
directions but also thanks to the clues that can be given to us in certain dialogues; so we have information about character or physique.
It is important for the playwright to take into account the rules imposed by the theatrical genre but also the vocation of the text to be performed!
The great particularity of Jean-Paul Sartre's text is that it is part of a very particular current which is existentialism.
A major movement of its time, of the 20th century, it places the viewer and the reader face to face with the major issues of their time.
The genre of
Huis Clos,
and especially the
literary movement that this work represents, places the human being face to face with his demons, his questions, his doubts, his faults... The actor then becomes the incarnation of an evil which must to be analyzed, questioned, understood.
To give you an idea, know that the author, in his
most famous play, features three characters who suffer the judgment of others after their death, they suffer hell.
Remember: “Hell is the other.” But who really are these “others”?
Huis Clos
genre
so popular?
The genre of
Huis Clos is very appreciated because it allows humans to discover themselves, to confront themselves and others , through laughter and tears.
It offers a moment of surpassing oneself; it's an outlet, a disinhibitor!
Yes, the theatrical genre is a literary genre that allows us to speak to all spectators,
of all ages , and whatever the profile. It is for this reason that, after fables and poems, it has become the essential means of telling but also of exhibiting.
If Jean-Paul Sartre's play turns towards a movement considered rather dramatic, we must not forget that originally, the author wanted to make it a funny text...
Where to go see this play?
This Sartre play has been performed in many theaters since its first production in 1944. However, in 2023, you can discover it in our venue, at the
Laurette Théâtre . Performed in the heart of Paris, it is directed by Karine Kadi.
The main characters, Garcin, Inès and Estelle, are played by Sébastien Barrio, Karine Battaglia, and Laurence Meini.
Whatever your schedule and your obstacles, you can find a moment to confront yourself with period questions which may, even now, be very familiar to you.
Huis Clos is played every Friday at 9 p.m. and every Sunday at 6 p.m. until May 21.
To better understand the genre of
Huis Clos,
to see or rewatch this play, our Laurette Theater opens its doors to you for this performance, but also for all the others planned in its program!
