Le Théâtre

An ancient tradition A pastoral was performed in 1848 in front of the calvary at La Marche and under the Hunaudais market hall. At the beginning of the 20th century, recreational sessions began to appear. These consisted mainly of skits, skectches and songs. Later, performances were held in the Salle de l'Asile of the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes school for women and in the Salle Toutes-Joies of the parish church for men. Coeducation was not authorized until the early 1950s. In January 1924, the Salle Jeanne d'Arc was inaugurated (hence the former name Théâtre Jeanne D'Arc). Some 300 people could sit on benches to watch a biblical drama in three acts: L'enfant prodigue. Christ the King From 1933, the illustrious "Christ-Roi" took up residence here. Sainte-Pazanne owes part of its regional fame to this exceptionally long-lived theatrical spectacle. To this day, it has always been performed by the locals. At the time, Sainte-Pazanne's parish priest, Abbé Victorien Portier (1893-1969), approached Paul Greslé (1902-1994), a chemical engineer from Trignac who had recently moved to the commune following his marriage. He had a passion for theater and suggested staging a play he had written on the Passion of Christ, performed in Trignac in 1930 and 1931, which he decided to rework. A troupe was formed. The show, entitled "Le Christ-Roi" (Christ the King), immediately worked its magic. The first performance of Le Christ-Roi took place at the Salle Jeanne d'Arc on January 15, 1933. In turn, and according to their availability, local residents act out the founding scenes in the history of the Catholic Church. The show features a religious revue of some thirty tableaux in three parts. The play includes several episodes from Christ's last days: the trial before Pontius Pilate, the crossing of Jerusalem, the crucifixion on Mount Golgotha and the resurrection. Several sessions are scheduled each year. One performance was even broadcast live by Rennes-Bretagne radio on April 17, 1935. The Salle Jeanne d'Arc was refurbished in 1956 to accommodate 700 people. It also served as a cinema until 1969. A new theater In 2017, the commune acquired the hall from the Catholic institution, bishopric and parish. Work is scheduled for complete renovation in 2019/2020 (compliance with standards, accessibility, refurbishment, etc.) In October 2021, the renovated theater reopened its doors, following this rejuvenation. It now seats 432 spectators and has a new name. Today, the Théâtre Municipal Pazenais (TMP) offers a rich and varied program. The little extra: you can find the full program in the agenda section of the Destination Pornic website.