The Comédie-Française is opening a new chapter in its history with a 2026-2027 season marked by collaborations and new perspectives. For his first program at the helm of the institution, Clément Hervieu-Léger announced the arrival of two major figures on the French cultural scene: the director Thomas Jolly and the novelist Leïla Slimani, both of whom will be making their debuts at the "Français".
This season will feature 26 shows in total, including 14 new productions, 12 revivals, and six productions destined for touring. It will also be marked by the reopening of the Salle Richelieu on October 15, 2026, after several months of renovations, with a new staging of Ruy Blas by Victor Hugo, entrusted to Julie Duclos.
Thomas Jolly takes over the Tuileries with Alexandre Dumas
After making his mark on the Paris Olympics as artistic director, Thomas Jolly is preparing to discover another French cultural landmark. In July 2027, he will present La Tour de Nesle by Alexandre Dumas as part of the Paris d'été – Les étés du Louvre festival.
The project will be distinguished by its venue: the show will be performed outdoors in the Tuileries Garden, facing the Olympic cauldron installed in the Parisian landscape, before moving to the Salle Richelieu in the fall of 2027. Clément Hervieu-Léger, during the season presentation, praised Thomas Jolly's "great sense of popular theatre", believing that it was time to see his world join that of the Comédie-Française.
A season focused on female authors and partnerships
Another notable arrival is that of Leïla Slimani, who will be writing her first play. Her work Resurrection. A matter of conscience will be directed by Simon Delétang as part of a co-production with the Centre dramatique national de Lorient before going on tour.
This choice reflects a strategy championed by the new management, which aims to give greater visibility to female authors within an institution where they have long occupied a secondary role. The season will also feature significant artistic collaborations with other cultural institutions, notably the Louvre and the National Drama Center of the Indian Ocean.
On the financial front, the Comédie-Française is maintaining a €5 entrance fee but is raising its premium ticket prices, now set at €56. The institution also anticipates a larger deficit in 2026, a consequence of the renovations at the Richelieu site and a season largely organized off-site.
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