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French theatre backstage vocabulary: explore a stage before rehearsal

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Explore twelve French stage and backstage terms. Locate lights, props, costume storage and working areas from a stage manager’s rehearsal requests.

In short

Le plateau is the stage floor or playing area; les coulisses are the areas at its sides, hidden from the audience. La régie is the technical control area. Explore twelve targets and use the stage manager’s requests to find lights, sound equipment, props and costume storage.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A French theatre backstage with costume rail, prop chest, hat, spotlight and microphone.
Les coulisses hold the kit needed before rehearsal. Illustration: Atelier

The stage, wings and control booth

Cutaway view of a small theatre before rehearsal, seen diagonally from the auditorium so the stage, both wings and a small raised control booth are all visible.

Four objects in a rehearsal request

Here, un accessoire is a prop used in the performance. Une répétition is a rehearsal. The stage manager can ask On reprend depuis le début ? (shall we start again from the beginning?) once the stage is ready.

Cinq minutes avant la répétition

La régisseuse arrive dans les coulisses1 avec sa liste. Le chapeau du premier personnage manque sur le plateau : il est resté dans la malle à accessoires. Elle demande à Yanis de l’apporter, puis de ranger le portant à costumes dans l’espace prévu. Depuis la régie, Inès vérifie la console lumière. Un projecteur éclaire déjà la marque au sol2 où doit se placer la comédienne. Le micro attend sur son pied, près du rideau. La régisseuse remarque un câble au bord du passage et demande qu’on le range. Quand tout est prêt, elle annonce : « On commence la répétition3 par la première entrée. »

Read it in English

The stage manager arrives in the wings with her list. The first character’s hat is missing from the stage: it has been left in the prop chest. She asks Yanis to bring it, then to put the costume rail in its designated space. From the control booth, Inès checks the lighting console. A spotlight is already lighting the floor mark where the actor should stand. The microphone is waiting on its stand near the curtain. The stage manager notices a cable at the edge of the passage and asks for it to be put away. Once everything is ready, she announces: “We’ll start the rehearsal with the first entrance.”

Tu veux le chapeau qui est dans la malle ou celui qui est sur le portant ?

Do you want the hat in the chest or the one on the rail?

Question 1No account needed
Where should the actor stand?Place-toi sur la croix de ruban adhésif, au centre du plateau.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la marque au sol. The cross of coloured tape is la marque au sol, the actor’s position marker.

Question 2No account needed
Where should you look for the prop?Apporte le chapeau qui est dans la malle à accessoires.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la malle à accessoires. The request names the prop chest, la malle à accessoires, as the hat’s location.

Question 3No account needed
Find the light.Vérifie le projecteur qui éclaire le centre du plateau.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le projecteur. Le projecteur is the stage light aimed at the playing area.

Question 4No account needed
Which object should be put away?Range le câble qui est au bord du passage.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le câble. The stage manager names le câble, the coiled lead near the edge of the stage.

Question 5No account needed
Where is the technical team being called?L’équipe lumière est attendue à la régie.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la régie. La régie is the control area overlooking the stage and containing the lighting console.

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