The Madwoman of Chaillot

The Madwoman of Chaillot
Lucia Sturdza-Bulandra
in The Madwoman of Chaillot
by George Ștefănescu (1967)
Written byJean Giraudoux
CharactersThe Waiter, The Baron, Pierre,
The President, The Prospector,
The Street Singer, The Ragpicker,
The Broker, Irma, Countess Aurelia,
The Sergeant, The Sewer Man,
Mme. Constance, Mme. Gabrielle,
Mme. Josophine, The Presidents,
The Prospectors, The Press Agents
Date premiered19 December 1945
Place premieredThéâtre de l'Athénée
Paris
Original languageFrench
Subjectrights of the poor
GenreComedy
SettingThe Cafe de l'Alma in the fashionable Chaillot quarter of Paris

The Madwoman of Chaillot (French: La Folle de Chaillot) is a play, a poetic satire, by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in 1945, after his death. The play is in two acts. The story concerns an eccentric woman who lives in Paris and her struggles against the straitlaced authority figures in her life.

The original production was done with Giraudoux's frequent collaborator, actor and theater director Louis Jouvet, who played the Ragpicker. The French actress Marguerite Moreno was the inspiration for the piece. The play has frequently been revived in France, with the title role played by Edwige Feuillère, Madeleine Robinson, or Judith Magre.