«Molière est comme le chocolat». Fortunes du dramaturge en Suisse romande (1997‑2021)

This paper examines the shared conceptions and current uses of Molière in Western Switzerland (or “Suisse romande”). It aims not only to analyze the reception of his theatre in a French-speaking theatrical field, but also to describe the way in which artists themselves conceive the heritage of this “héros national français”. Based on a series of interviews conducted in the spring of 2021 with seventeen directors based in the region, the contribution first shows that their interest with this playwright mainly lies in the “playfulness” that his theatre allows on stage, beyond any memorial or political question. By looking at some of their recent productions, it then examines how a large number of directors are inspired by the farcical and Italian heritages transmitted by his work in order to anchor their artistic research on the side of theatricality, or even a form of metatheatricality.