Le Théâtre Français au Septentrion (1669–1728): Diplomatie, Échanges Culturels et Migration entre Paris et Copenhague

Abstract

This article examines diplomacy, cultural exchanges, and theatre performance between France and Denmark. Based on new archival documents that, for the first time, take into account both French and Danish sources, we shed new light on the transnational history of French theatre in the Northern periphery of Europe. On one hand, the roles of cultural mediators are examined, such as Henning Meyercrone, the Danish ambassador in France, who recruited the French theatre company sent to Copenhagen and who was himself an actor. On the other hand, we trace the career of René Magnon de Montaigu, director of the first permanent French company in Copenhagen. Until now, Montaigu was completely unknown in France, but we were able to trace his debut in Paris in the royal company. The French diaspora in Denmark also played the role of ambassador, since it embodied and transmitted French culture in a context of migration.