Although some scholars have found the psychology of his characters limited, Marcel Achard distinguished himself as a “love specialist” by presenting a romantic theater. Of course, the sentiment he recounts fits into a context different from Shakespearean, but his contribution to the twentieth century is certainly fundamental.
Who was Marcel Achard
Marcel Achard, stage name of Marcel Augustin Ferréol (Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, 5 July 1899 – Paris, 4 September 1974), was a French writer and playwright. At the beginning of his career, which began shortly after the First World War, he inaugurated his pseudonym gaining notoriety in 1923. On this date stages the comedy on the circus “Voulez-vous jouer avec moâ?” along with Charles Dullin.
With this project he inaugurates a long series of works based on the same reworking scheme of the characters of the Italian Commedia dell’arte.
With him Colombina or Pierrot present themselves in a modern and current context in which complex love stories intertwine and not only. The author is not afraid to present one of his female protagonists as an unfaithful and uninhibited wife.
The theater debut of Marcel Achard
His works are also recognized for veiled melancholy also marked by popular songs of the time that add a bittersweet note.
We remember for example “Noix de coco” of 1935 or “Savez-vous planter les choux?” of 1946.
Definitely his period of maximum splendor it is placed between the two wars, exactly when it is compared to colleagues of the past such as Alfred de Musset or Pierre de Marivaux. His works always get great success and the less famous ones also have original themes.
Marcel Achard between love and hate
In fact, there is no lack of criticism a issues considered controversial as for example that of homosexuality in the work “Adam”. Several decades later the work will actually be considered almost trivial, but it certainly caused a sensation at the time. Furthermore, the author often refers to interesting techniques such as that of the “drama-in-drama” introduced by the great Luigi Pirandello.
Negative comments never stop him from moving forward with his work which proves successful even after World War II. Many successful works of which we particularly remember the comedy with the protagonist nicknamed “Potatoes” released in 1957.