Théâtre de la Ville
Théâtre Sarah Bernarht

A Bit of History - Originally named Théatre des Nations from 1862 to 1949, then Théatre Sarah Bernhardt from 1949 to 1967, the Théatre de la Ville is located on the Place du Châtelet in the fourth district. In 1968, the theatre took its current name and became a municipal popular theatre under the direction of comedian and director Jean Mercure. The theatre has considerably developed its programs. In 1968, it only produced one dance show, while there were 25 dance programs out of 110 shows in 1994. That year ninety permanent workers work at the theatre under a budget of 66 million francs, 40% of which goes towards artistic creation and about 12 million goes towards dance.

Sarah Bernhardt, who gave her name to the theatre, was born in Paris in 1844 as an illegitimate child to a Dutch courtisane, Judith van Hard. She entered the Comédie Française at 18 but did not stay long for having slapped a permanent member of the troup. She only returned in 1872 following her remarkable role as the Queen Marie in Victor Hugo's play Ruy Blas at the Théatre de l'Odéon. She became a member of the Comédie Française in 1875.

She is well known for the classical roles she interpreted (Racine's Phedre, Voltaire's Zaïre) for which she would become famous, as well as melodramatic roles in the plays Victorien Sardou created for her (Fedora, Theodora, La Tosca). Oscar Wilde said about her that he understood the gentleness of Racine's music upon hearing her Phedre. She left the Comédie Française in 1880 and started a series of long international tours (nine in America where she discovered that the most popular roles in Europe were not necessarily so popular in the US). As Director of the Renaissance Theatre she played in Lorenzaccio and La Ville Morte. She rented the Théatre des Nations in 1898 which would later take her name in 1949.

She wrote an autobiography in 1907, My Double Life, and a study on acting, The Art of Theatre in 1923. She played the role of the Pucelle until she was 65 without being ridiculed by the public. She continued to act in spite of having her right leg amputated when she was 71 years old. She died in Paris on March 26, 1943. In spite of changing its name many times, the Théatre de la Ville will always be the Theatre of Sarah Bernhardt.