Description

EXCEPTIONAL UNPUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN LOUIS JOUVET AND DOMINIQUE BLANCHAR, AN IMPORTANT ACTRESS AT THE THÉÂTRE DE L'ATHÉNÉE AFTER THE WAR

32 signed pieces (autograph and typescript letters, autograph cards) from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar (28) and his parents Pierre and Marthe Blanchar (4) including in particular 23 original sketches by Christian Bérard for the stage costumes & 12 signed pieces (autograph and typescript letters, autograph cards) from Dominique, Pierrette and Pierre Blanchar to Louis Jouvet.

In 1946, Louis Jouvet, director of the Théâtre de l'Athénée, considered reviving The School for WivesHis modern interpretation of the play, performed on a mobile mechanical set, had won over audiences when it premiered in 1936. However, he fell out with Madeleine Ozeray, who played Agnès, and could not find a suitable actress to replace her.

He spotted Dominique (known as "Minou") Blanchar in the audience of a performance of La Folle de Chaillot given at the Athénée, and immediately saw in her an ideal Agnès. He contacted her father, the actor Pierre Blanchar (n°1):

 I saw 'Minou' last night after the show with her sister and mother, and it suddenly occurred to me, as I'm going to be re-staging 'L'Ecole des femmes' for a fortnight, that perhaps she could play the part of Agnès! (9 April [1946])

A contract followed two months later (no. 2):

 I have the pleasure of confirming your engagement at the Théâtre de L'ATHENEE to play the role of Agnès in Molière's "L'ECOLE DES FEMMES".
You will receive a fee of 500 (five hundred) Francs per performance.
[...]
[autograph]: Dear Minou
I am very proud to sign your first contract and to express my confidence in you and my affection for you LJ.
(21 June 1946)

For the young debutante, the opportunity was unhoped-for (no. 4):

I'm happier than I can tell you to have been chosen by you to play the beautiful role of Agnès; to be part of one of your shows for my unexpected debut, and to benefit from such exceptional conditions for working and learning.
It is marvellous that it is in a play by Molière that I have the chance to act for the first time in my life - and above all that this first time is at your side and under your direction, so masterly and so kind. [1946]

From 25 June 1946, Dominique Blanchar triumphed as Agnès alongside Louis Jouvet, who played Alphonse. The preciously preserved flowers thrown on stage bear witness to this (no. 7).

Between rehearsals and performances, Louis Jouvet and Dominique Blanchar exchanged a great deal of correspondence, revealing a certain intimacy - several cards reached "Minou" in the form of bouquets of flowers.

My Kitty
The flowers are lovely, and I'm enchanted by the sentiment in your letter, but your two torches are truly royal and touched my heart.
I had a theatre lamp from Vicenza that I kept like a jewel. I took it with me on my tour, but it broke at the end of the journey and I was very sad. Your two torches replaced it. You gave me great pleasure and I'm infinitely grateful to you. They will never leave the work table again.
Je t'embrasse de tout cœur Louis Jouvet (2 July 1946) (n° 9)

 Minou Chérie,
[La compagnie Française du Théâtre Jouvet] wishes you a happy birthday.
Lapniski and Jouveski together tell you how much they love you and want you to be the way you are. "La Minou". They tell you in no uncertain terms, without any pretence, that you are the Puss of Pussies, of all the Pussies in the old and new minouteries, the most exemplary Puss, puss and pussy that anyone could love, and they give you four tender kisses from the bottom of their pussified hearts. (2 June 1947) (n° 22)

The identity of the actors blended with the characters played on stage. Jouvet, who sometimes signed "Arnolphe"(24 June 1946), "Louis Arnolphe"(12 August 1946) or evenyour Arnolphe(2 July 1946) alternates between "Minou" and "Agnès" in his letters to the young actress: "Minou" and "Agnès".dear Minou, dear Agnès"(9 October [1946]); "Hello Minou, hello Agnès"(9 January 1947), "Minou-Agnès"(25 February 1947) and, in a phylactery emerging from the mouth of a drawn character: "Kitty. Answer me, you have nothing to hide. Are you an Agnes or a Psyche?"(31 January 1947). The latter, for her part, addressed her letters to her ".dear Boss"thanmy darling Boss"(December 1950) andmy dear Arnolphe-Patron" ([1951]).

Dominique Blanchar ended up merging with another heroine: "To Ondine in memory of Ondine, from Hans. "Chérie petite Ondineé" very affectionately Louis J."(4 May 1949) (no. 33); " To my little Ondine, who is fifteen years old, who was born centuries ago and who will never grow old in my heart."(2 June 1949) (n°34). In 1949, Louis Jouvet took over theOndine by Giraudoux, which he created at the Athénée in 1939. Dominique Blanchar was chosen for the title role (n°31, programme n°52). But Jouvet had already imagined her as Ondine several years earlier. Bérard's sketches for her stage costume (n°18) and a letter dated July 1946, also accompanied by drawings (n°10) bear witness to this:

Bébé [Bérard] is here at this hospitable lunchtime; he talks lyrically about Minou! Yesterday we went to Marseilles, we had dinner as boys... he already sees you playing Ondine... and he drew plans on the tablecloth in which he explained to me how he saw you. I tore up the paper to send you this record of our thoughts.

Dominique Blanchar was a member of the Théâtre de l'Athénée troupe and also played the lead role in The Bellac Apollo (another Agnès) as well as secondary roles in The enchanted cup, Dom Juan and Tartuffe.

The investment required was considerable. When L'École des femmes was revived in 1950, Louis Jouvet urged her:

"We're still playing Tartuffe, but we should be doing L'École des femmes instead! When are you coming back? Can you give me a date?" (n° 40).

In September of the same year, he had already refused her leave of absence to film The Traitor (Decision Before Dawn) : 

Just before the holidays, Anatole Litvak was in Paris and told me about a film he was hoping to make for Fox, in which he saw a role for me (a Frenchwoman brought to Germany by the war who finds herself mixed up with the American armies as they cross the Rhine).  It was just an extremely vague project and there was really no point in telling you about it. But last night I received a telegram asking me to go to Munich for some tests. It's a matter of a week or so from 11 September. And now I'm in a real bind, because for one thing the film in question, which is definitely being made, appeals to me enormously. (n° 38)

Dear old Minou, as embarrassed as you are by your scruples stop your absence would force us to postpone the start of the season already announced stop (n°39).

In addition to the performances at the Athénée, Dominique Blanchar also accompanied the company on its international tours, which took them to Scotland (1947), Egypt, Eastern Europe (1948), North Africa (1950), Canada and the United States (1951). It was here that she gave her final performance of  The School for Wives. His performance in New York won him a Donladson Award. "I was delighted to hear about your award for L'École des femmes"wrote Jouvet on 9 August, a week before his death (n°45, 49).

Their correspondence came to an abrupt end in August 1951, when Louis Jouvet died in his dressing room at the Athénée theatre after suffering a heart attack. On hearing the news, Dominique Blanchar went to the theatre. She went on to have a long solo career in film and on stage, winning two Molières for her performances in In the same way (Luigi Pirandello) and Les Femmes savantes. 

LIST

1 - Autograph letter signed by Louis Jouvet to Pierre Blanchar, father of Dominique Blanchar. Paris : Wednesday 9 April [1946]. 1 page, 142 x 195 mm. Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet letterhead, 24 rue Caumartin.

2 -Typewritten letter from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, partly autograph signed. 21 June 1946. 210 x 270 mm, on Société du Théâtre Louis Jouvet letterhead. Envelope preserved.

3 - Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Madame and Monsieur Pierre Blanchard. [1946]. Retained envelope. The copy of the Athénée programme mentioned in the letter is enclosed.

4 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [1946]. 2 pages in-4.

5 - Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, 24 June 1946.  With the programme of the Théâtre de l'Athénée, DOMINIQUE BLANCHAR'S SPECIAL PRINTED COPY, with the words "Printed especially for Dominique BLANCHAR to mark her debut as Agnès in L'École des femmes". SIGNED by Louis Jouvet "To Minou Blanchar, affectionate memory of Louis Jouvet, 24 June 1946". and Miss Raymonewho played the same season in La Folle de Chaillot "to my Minou whom I adore for life, I would still be the same if I left her".

6 -A programme for The School for Wives. [1946]. 106 x 111 mm

7 -Autograph envelope (Dominique Blanchar) bearing the words: "Rose jetée sur scène, un soir de représentation durant les 8 jours 'L'École des femmes'" (Rose thrown on stage one evening during the 8 days of 'L'École des femmes') and containing a dried rose tied with a tricolour ribbon and weighted down with 2 coins with holes in their centres. [1946]

8 -Letter signed by Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 2 July 1946. 140 x 185 mm.

9 - [Other] Autograph letter signed from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 2 July 1946. 140 x 185 mm.

10 -Letter signed by Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. Marseille: July 1946 [postmark]. Retained envelope. Full page, 210 x 260 mm, on the letterhead of the Chateau de Montredon near Marseille. On two pieces of torn paper tablecloth: 5 original pencil sketches by Béraud depicting Minou as an Ondine.

11 -Signed autograph letter for a telegram from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 27 August 1946. Attached is the telegram sent from Brussels, 28 August 1946.

12 -Postcard [Lake Maggiore] signed "Pierrette" [Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [undated].

13 -Postcard signed by Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 5 September 1946 [stamp].

14 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. Card on Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet letterhead. 10 September [1946].

15 -Autograph card signed and sewn onto a bouquet of flowers, from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 9 October [1946?] Retained envelope.

16 -Autograph signed card on Athenée letterhead from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. [1946]. 110 x 130 mm. Enclosed: another card with a drawing by Jouvet on which cufflinks were attached, 3 original drawings by Christian Bérard mentioned in the letter.

17 -Signed autograph card which was stitched onto a bouquet of flowers from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. [December 1946?] Retained envelope.

 18 -Sketches by Bérard for Dominique Blanchar's stage costumesAn autograph note by Dominque Blanchar: "Précieux 1946 Esquisses Bérard". Fifteen sketches for ONDINE spread over 7 sheets of different formats.

19 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 9 January 1947. Retained envelope.

20 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, on the illustrated letterhead of La Compagnie Française du Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 31 January 1947.

21 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, on the illustrated letterhead of La Compagnie Française du Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 25 February 1947. Retained envelope.

22 -Autograph card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, on the illustrated letterhead of La Compagnie Française du Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 9 June 1947. Retained envelope.

23 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, headed Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 25 June 1947. Retained envelope.

24 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, headed Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 23 October 1947. Retained envelope.

25 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] and "Pierrette" [Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [1947]. 2 pages in-8 on lace paper.

26 -Autograph letter signed "Pierrette" [Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [1947 ?]. 1 page in-8 on lace paper.

27 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, headed Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 3 January 1948. Retained envelope.

28 -Postcard [Roman theatre in Lyon] signed "Agnès-Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] and "Pierrette" [Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. April 1948.

29 -Signed autograph card from Louis Jouvet to Marthe Blanchar, Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet letterhead. 24 December 1948

30 -Signed autograph letter to Marthe Blanchar, headed Le Grand Hôtel de Marseille. [1948]

31 -Typewritten letter signed by Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, on the letterhead of the Société du théatre Louis-Jouvet. April 12, 1949. Retained envelope.

32 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 1 May 1949. On a visiting card from Louis Jouvet, director of the Théâtre de l'Athénée, which was stitched onto a bouquet of flowers. Autograph envelope preserved.

33 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, headed Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 4 May 1949. Retained envelope.

34 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 2 June 1949. On a visiting card from Louis Jouvet, director of the Théâtre de l'Athénée, which was stitched onto a bouquet of flowers. Autograph envelope preserved.

35 -Two individual payment slips for the months of January and February 1949, relating to 59 fees for the role of Ondine.

36 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, headed Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet. 31 January 1950. Autograph envelope preserved.

37 -Autograph card signed "ton Knock" from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 24 February 1950. On a visiting card from Louis Jouvet, director of the Théâtre de l'Athénée, which was stitched onto a bouquet of flowers. Autograph envelope preserved.

38 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. Venice: 3 September [1950]. 4 pages in-8.

39 -Signed autograph letter for a telegram from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar, dated 7 September 1950. Attached is the telegram dated 7 September 1950 (stamp) sent from Digne to Negresco in Nice.

40 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 8 November 1950. Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet letterhead.

41 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [December 1950]. 1 page in-8.

42 -Autograph signed card from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 1 February 1951. Athénée Théâtre Louis Jouvet letterhead. Autograph envelope.

43 -Telegram dated 13 April 1951 (stamp) sent to Blanchar place du Panthéon:

44 -Signed autograph letter from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 9 July 1951. 210 x 270 mm , autograph envelope:
A knotted tricolour ribbon bears the printed words: "tgg SA Dominique Blanchar - Les artistes des Théâtres municipaux de Prague".

45 -Letter autograph signed from Louis Jouvet to Dominique Blanchar. 9 August 1951. 210 x 270 mm, autograph envelope preserved, addressed to Dominique Blanchar at Virginia Vernon's in London.

46 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [Late June 1951]. 2 pages in-8.

47 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [1951]. 2.5 pages in-8.

48 -Typewritten letter signed "Pierre" [Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. 2 August 1951. 1 page in-8 and 1 page in-4.

49 -Typewritten copy of the letter announcing the award of the prize for "the best debut performance of 1950-1951 season" to Dominique Blanchar for her performance in L'École des femmes, awarded by the American National Theater and Academy at the Eighth Annual Donaldson Awards.

50 -Postcard [Capri] signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [undated]. The card is countersigned by several people including the American actress, singer and playwright, Virginia Vernon (1899-1971).

52 -Autograph letter signed "Minou" [Dominique Blanchar] to Louis Jouvet. [undated]. 2.5 pages in-8 on lace paper with an animated character pasted on.

53 -Programme for Ondine at the Théâtre de l'Athénée signed by Louis Jouvet. [1949]. 135 x 210 mm.