COCTEAU (Jean). Bacchus. Autograph manuscript,... Lot 102

COCTEAU (Jean). Bacchus. Autograph manuscript, with numerous variants. 1951. Set of 4 unencumbered leaves (title with double dispatch to Francine Weisweiller) and 167 folio leaves (some in-4), written recto only, on ivory paper, in blue and red pen, with a few pencil notes. Bacchus is a play in three acts that premiered on December 20, 1951 at the Théâtre Marigny in Paris, by the Renaud-Barrault company. An interesting note on the genesis of the play, dated April 3, 1951: "I'd been wanting to deal with this subject for many years. I had first thought of film. As I studied it, I realized that the fixed setting of the theater was more suitable... It was in St Jean Cap Ferrat, where I was researching Luther, that I learned from a phone call from Jean Marais, who had heard about it from Maria Casarès, that Sartre was working on a similar subject in St Tropez. Encounters are not uncommon, but few people are aware of these waves that circulate and that several people record. On April 3, a telephone call from Anne Marie Cazalis confirmed the news and told me that my subject was even closer to Sartre's than I had imagined. Sartre's subject than I had first thought. After meeting Sartre, we both decided not to back down, and to use the same Greek myths as in the old days, when poets all drew inspiration from the same Greek myths... the same Greek myths... ". 16 folios. Act I, scenes 1 and 2. 42 leaves. Act I, scenes 3 to 8. 56 leaves. Act II. Discontinuously paginated, with various leaf formats. 49 leaves. Act III. In-4 format, with discontinuous pagination. Abundantly corrected, this manuscript presents innumerable variants with the final version. Sent to Francine Weisweiller, one of Jean Cocteau's closest and most loyal friends, who often stayed at his famous Villa Santo-Sospir.