André Obey (; 8 May 1892 at

Douai Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, Dou ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

– 11 April 1975 at

Montsoreau Montsoreau () is a commune of the Loire Valley in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast and from Paris. The village is listed among '' The Most Beautiful Villages of France'' (french: Les Plus Be ...

, near the river

Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhôn ...

) was a prominent French playwright during the inter-war years, and into the 1950s. He began as a

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire ...

and produced an

autobiographical novel An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using autofiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fictive elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction. Bec ...

about his

adolescence Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the ...

''le Joueur de triangle'' (The Triangle Player). After his meeting with

Jacques Copeau Jacques Copeau (; 4 February 1879 – 20 October 1949) was a French theatre director, producer, actor, and dramatist. Before he founded the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in Paris, he wrote theatre reviews for several Parisian journals, work ...

, he devoted himself completely to dramatic works. In 1945 Obey became provisional general administrator of the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

. He was made full general administrator in 1946, and resigned in 1947 after just under a year's service. Obey's play ''Le Viol de Lucrèce'' was drawn on by

Ronald Duncan Ronald Frederick Henry Duncan (6 August 1914 – 3 June 1982) was an English writer, poet and playwright of German descent, now best known for his poem '' The Horse'' and for preparing the libretto for Benjamin Britten's opera ''The Rape of Lucr ...

for the

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major li ...

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

's opera ''

The Rape of Lucretia ''The Rape of Lucretia'' (Op. 37) is an opera in two acts by Benjamin Britten, written for Kathleen Ferrier, who performed the title role. Ronald Duncan based his English libretto on André Obey's play '. Performance history The opera was fi ...

''. Obey served as general administrator of the

, in a provisional capacity from October 1945 until 6 April 1946, then with full powers until his resignation on 5 February 1947.

Bibliography

Novels

*''Le joueur de triangle'' (The Triangle Player)/ 1928

Theatre

* ''La Souriante Madame Beudet'' (The Smiling Madame Beudet)/ 1921: Nouveau théâtre, premiere, April 1921. 1921: Broadway November 28, 1921 - December 1921 * ''Noé'' (Noah)/ 1931: Broadway February 13, 1935 - March 1935 * ''Le Viol de Lucrèce'' (The Rape of Lucretia)/ 1931: Broadway December 20, 1932 - January 1933 * ''La Bataille de la Marne'' (The Battle of the Marne)/ 1932 * ''La Carcasse'' (The Carcass)/ 1926 * ''Noah'' / 1935 * ''Lazare'' (Lazarus)/ 1950 * ''L'Orestie''/ 1955 * ''Les trois coups de minuit''/ 1957: English translation as ''Frost at Midnight'' by

Warren Tute Warren Tute (1914-1989) was an English sailor, author and television executive. He was born in 1914 in West Hartlepool, County Durham in the north of England and joined the Royal Navy in 1932, at one time serving on . During the Second World War ...

* ''Revenu de l'étoile'' (Returned from the star)/ 1965

Reviews

References

1892 births 1975 deaths People from Douai 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights Prix Renaudot winners Administrators of the Comédie-Française 20th-century French novelists French male novelists 20th-century French male writers {{Europe-theat-stub