The Georges Banu Effect: The Critic as Artist and the Artist as Critic

Abstract

This article is a portrait of, and a tribute to Georges Banu (22 June 1943–21 January 2023), one of the most influential theater critics of our time. It is meant to be a reflection on the uniqueness of Banu’s personality, between Romania and France, between Romanian and French, between criticism and artistry. Focusing on the impact of Banu’s words, it highlights the major traits of his style, which contributed to a different perception of criticism as a profession and as an act of cultural memory. The conclusion is that Banu’s charismatic presence in the theatrical scene of the past decades was as meaningful as his written critical legacy.