Les paradoxes du comédien (The Paradoxes of Acting)

Columbia Maison Française and Seuls en Scène, Princeton French Theater Festival, celebrate the publication of Les paradoxes du comédien by Laurence Marie, who has interviewed many past guest artists of the festival at Princeton University for her book project. Laurence Marie moderates a discussion with the celebrated artistic team of the 2024 festival’s last show, Clôture de l'amour by Pascal Rambert, and considers how Diderot’s Paradox of Acting resonates in their craft today.

Laurence Marie is a Lecturer in the Department of French at Columbia. A specialist of 18th century literature, theatre and the arts, and the history of emotions, she is the author of Inventer l’acteur: Émotions et spectacle dans l’Europe des Lumières, a new Folio Classique edition of Diderot's Paradox of Acting and Les paradoxes du comédien: Cinquante regards sur le métier d'acteur.

Pascal Rambert is a French playwright, choreographer, and director. Director of the T2G-Théâtre de Gennevilliers from 2007 to 2017, which he transformed into a National 

Drama Center for Contemporary Creation, he was awarded the Prix du Théâtre by the Académie Française in 2016 for his body of work. His plays are presented at major international festivals and cultural venues, including Clôture de l'amour, which premiered at the Festival d'Avignon in 2011, and has since been performed nearly 200 times and translated into over 20 languages. He is also the author of numerous plays, including Memento Mori (2013), De mes propres mains (2016), Libido Sciendi (2015), Argument (2016) and Une vie (2017), which he wrote for the actors of the Comédie-Française.

Audrey Bonnet is an acclaimed French actress who trained at the Cours Florent before joining the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art. From 2003 to 2006, she served as resident at the Comédie-Française. She won the award for best actress in the 2013 theatre awards. She is also well-known for her role of Cassandra in Olivier Assayas’s movie Personal Shopper.

Stanislas Nordey is a French actor and theatre director. He is the previous artistic director of the Théâtre National de Strasbourg (TNS), in which he served as artistic director of both the theatre and its renowned acting school. Nordey produced forceful and socially relevant seasons, and invited prominent actors, directors, and playwrights to join along as associate artists. An advocate for contemporary theatre, he has staged works by writers such as Falk Richter, Anja Hilling, Peter Handke, Wajdi Mouawad, Christine Angot and Christophe Pellet in recent years. 

The event is presented in conjunction with the 13th edition of , taking place at Princeton University September 12-22. Seuls en Scène, curated by Princeton University’s Florent Masse, brings celebrated French actors and directors, as well as promising early-career artists, to Princeton University and the local community to present their work, introducing American audiences to dynamic and engaging French productions. More information on the festival can be found. To reserve tickets visit

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