From September 3, 2025, Le Lucernaire welcomes Jacques Rampal 's Célimène et le Cardinal, directed by Frédérique Lazarini. Conceived as a sequel to Molière's Misanthrope, the play finds the two mythical characters, Alceste and Célimène, twenty years on, at the opposite ends of the spectrum from their flamboyant youth. He has become a cardinal, she a mother of four. An unexpected visit brings them together in a tense and passionate huis clos.
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Alceste bursts into his former lover's home on the pretext of warning her of an external threat. But the exchange soon turns into a verbal duel, a backlash, a joust of feelings. Reproaches pile up, memories resurface, unspoken words crumble until a more intimate, more disturbing truth emerges. Written entirely in alexandrines, the play elegantly restores the rigor of classical theater while developing a resolutely contemporary dramatic tension.
The play is aimed at audiences with a taste for the language of classical theater and for rereadings of major works. Audiences curious to discover what can become of such famous literary figures as Célimène and Alceste will find a daring proposal, between fidelity to style and dramaturgical invention. On the other hand, those who prefer modern texts or stagings far removed from text-based theater may be less interested.
This article is based on publicly available information and is not based on direct experience of the show.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
Dates and Opening Time
On July 9, 2025
Location
Lucernaire
53 rue Notre-Dame des Champs
75006 Paris 6
Prices
€10 - €32
Booking
www.lucernaire.fr
What to see this week in Paris? Plays and shows not to be missed
