Siempre me ha gustado mucho el teatro

Abstract

These notes intend to systematize the thought of Barthes about theater, from the study of texts published in Lettres nouvelles, France Observateur and Théatre populaire in the 50s, gathered by Jean-Loup Rivière Writings on Theater of 2002. These ideas can also be found in the later works of the author, despite the fact that their object is not theater but other forms of art such as literature —the trace of theatrical experience, always contradictory, is gathered in the figure of Barthes actor, spectator and reader of theatre. We are interested in Barthes's “fascination” with avant-garde theatre, especially Bretch, as well as his decision to stop going to the theatre. Our aim is to stress Barthes's writings concerning the anecdotal and contingent of theatre, taking into account that his conceptualizations go beyond the theatrical event he refers to.