Exporting Shakespeare The English Theatre in Paris, 1822-1845

In 1822, 1827-1828 and 1844-1845, a sequence of Shakespeare plays was performed in English in Paris. Predominantly tragedies chosen to suit the leading actors, the works were presented in heavily cut versions, with meagre production values. The intellectual seriousness of French audiences led to a much sharper focus on the nature of Shakespeare’s dramatic art than was prevalent in England.