Béatrix Dussane

Béatrice Dussan, called Béatrix Dussane, (9 March 1888 – 3 March 1969) was a French stage actress. Admitted at the Comédie-Française in 1903, she became the 363th sociétaire in 1922. A street in the 15th arrondissement of Paris is named after her.

Biography

Née Dussan, she added an "e" to her last name to mimic the great actress of the time Rejane (pseudonym of Gabrielle Réju). A first prize of classic comedy crowned her efforts 22 July 1903. She was immediately engaged as a boarder by Jules Claretie, the then director of the Comédie-Française. On 23 September, she made her debut in The Imaginary Invalid (role of Toinette). Named an associate in 1922, she sat on the board from 1935 to 1942.

A teacher at the Conservatoire d'Art dramatique de Paris, Sophie Desmarets, Robert Hirsch, Michel Bouquet, Maria Casarès, Serge Reggiani, Daniel Gélin, Gérard Oury, Michel Le Royer, Alice Sapritch, Gilles Claude Thierrault and many others were her students.

In the 1920s, she lectured, collaborated in different magazines (including La Revue française, La Revue universelle, Le Journal de la femme, La Revue hebdomadaire, Le Journal, etc.) and published several books on theatre. From 1951, she had a column in Le Mercure de France.

Towards the end of her career, she produced radio and television programs devoted to the history of theater: Au jour et aux lumières, Des chandelles aux projecteurs, Tréteaux, racontez moi, etc.

She was very a close friend of the poet Tristan Derème until his death in 1941. Dussane was married to Lucien Coulond, a playwright and journalist at Gil Blas, Comœdia and LeJournal.

She is buried at Père Lachaise cemetery (95th division).

Theatre

Comédie-Française

Admission at the Comédie-Française in 1903 Sociétaire from 1922 to 1941 363th sociétaire Honorary sociétaire in 1942

1903: Les Précieuses ridicules by Molière as Toinette 1905: Don Quixote by Jean Richepin after Miguel de Cervantes 1906: La Courtisane by André Arnyvelde 1906: Les Mouettes by Paul Adam 1907: L'Étincelle by Édouard Pailleron 1907: L'amour veille by Robert de Flers and Gaston Arman de Caillavet 1908: Le Bon Roi Dagobert by André Rivoire 1909: La Robe rouge by Eugène Brieux 1912: Sapho by Alphonse Daudet and Adolphe Belot 1912: Poil de carotte by Jules Renard 1914: Le Prince charmant by Tristan Bernard 1920: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 1921: The School for Husbands by Molière 1921: La Coupe enchantée by Jean de La Fontaine and Champmeslé 1921: Monsieur de Pourceaugnac by Molière 1922: La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas by Molière 1922: Vautrin by Edmond Guiraud after Honoré de Balzac 1923: Jean de La Fontaine ou Le Distrait volontaire by Louis Geandreau and Léon Guillot de Saix 1924: Je suis trop grand pour moi by Jean Sarment 1928: Le Quatrième by Martial Piéchaud 1933: Monsieur Vernet by Jules Renard, directed by Charles Granval 1935: Madame Quinze by Jean Sarment, directed by the author 1936: Le Voyage à Biarritz by Jean Sarment, directed by the author 1937: Business is business by Octave Mirbeau, directed by Fernand Ledoux

Hors Comédie-Française 1947 : Richard II by William Shakespeare, directed by Jean Vilar, 1st festival d'Avignon 1947 : L'Histoire de Tobie et de Sara by Paul Claudel, directed by Maurice Cazeneuve, 1st festival d'Avignon 1951 : Jedermann by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, directed by Charles Gantillon, parvise of the Saint-Jean cathedral of Lyon

Cinema 1968 : Franciscain of Bourges by Claude Autant-Lara : The elegant lady