théâtre

Theatre, or théâtral arts, is the live performance of scripted works before an audience, combining text, acting, and a range of design and technical elements. In French, the term théât re also refers to the building that houses performances and to the company that produces them. The word theater derives from the Greek theatron, via Latin theatrum, reflecting its origins in the study of watching.

A production typically involves a script, direction, and actors, supported by set design, lighting, sound, costumes, and makeup. Staging can take various forms, from the proscenium stage to a thrust or black-box space, and may occur in traditional theatres, open-air venues, or non-traditional locations. The performance is mediated by rehearsal and technical runs, with the audience's presence shaping timing, pace, and interpretation.

Theatre encompasses multiple genres and styles, including tragedy, comedy, history plays, and melodrama, as well as naturalistic and experimental approaches. Musical theatre, dance theatre, and devised or community theatre are common branches. The art form has long intertwined with social and political life, often addressing contemporary issues through public discourse, storytelling, and spectacle.

Historically, theatre traces to ancient Greece and Rome, evolving through medieval liturgical drama, Renaissance professional troupes, and the rise of national theatres in the early modern period. In the French tradition, institutions such as the Comédie-Française have helped shape classical and modern repertoires. In the 19th and 20th centuries, realism, modernism, and postmodern experimentation expanded what theatre could investigate and how audiences engage with it.