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Contemporary theatre in Paris

454 shows on stage in Paris — 11 of them free and median entry price €22. Listings updated on .

Contemporary theatre is the widest category of the universe after comedy, and the most geographically scattered. It gathers living or recent authors and work in creation, from subsidised main stages to companies playing to fifty people. The upcoming dates in our catalogue bring back Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Théâtre de l’Atelier, Théâtre du Rond-Point with its Renaud-Barrault and Jean Tardieu rooms, La Pépinière Théâtre, Le Funambule-Montmartre, Théâtre La Reine Blanche and Le Local des Autrices — along with a set of stages just outside the city, such as Théâtre Gérard Philipe, Le Figuier Blanc, Les Passerelles and Centre culturel Jean Vilar, which Paris listings usually ignore even though they are twenty minutes away by metro.

That scattering is also what makes the category hard to follow without a list. Runs are short here: a new production rarely stays more than a few weeks, and an extension is the sign that it has found its audience. The number of remaining dates, shown on every listing, is therefore a genuinely useful signal — more so than on a boulevard comedy, where a long run is the norm. Subsidised stages also apply broad concessions, often up to the age of thirty, and sell season passes that halve the price.

This page gathers new writing and contemporary plays on stage in Paris and its inner suburbs, ranked by popularity, each listing carrying the venue, the next performance, how many dates remain and a link to the official box office. Entry prices most often sit between twenty and thirty-five euros, markedly lower in small companies and for under-thirties on public stages.

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454 shows · sorted by popularity

Frequently asked questions

What counts as contemporary theatre here?

Plays by living or recent authors, and work in creation — as opposed to the classical canon, which has its own page. The category runs from subsidised main stages to small independent companies.

Why do some venues sit outside Paris proper?

Because a large share of contemporary creation is programmed by stages in the inner suburbs — twenty minutes away by metro. Leaving them out would hide a real part of what is on.

How long do these productions run?

Usually a few weeks. Every listing shows how many dates are left, which matters more here than on a long-running comedy: an extension is the exception, not the rule.