Desecrations and new figurations in early 18th century ballet pantomimes

Abstract

This article synthetises some historical and aesthetic reflexions allowing to begin to know a minor theatrical genre: the comic ballet pantomime, which develops around 1750 in Paris. (This topic is the matter of a book in progress by P. Martinuzzi). The production of this kind of performance places in the European process of theatrical dance evolution. Manuscript and unpublished sources, never reprinted programs, a few iconographic documents, and contemporary chronicles, with theoretical texts about ancien régime choreographic and theatrical arts, bring us some knowledge about stage features and some possible interpretation of these facts, remained quite unknown. Intrinsecally linked to the cultural and social context which engendered them, the ballet pantomimes created in the Fair theatres during the first half of the 18th century, are marked by different artistic influences; they keep old knowledges, but show as well a will of renewal that colours itself of polemic connotations in performance choices, towards the «official» theatres as well as the contemporary social behavior.

Keywords

• ballets-pantomimes
• parigi