Théâtre de la Main d'Or

Théâtre de la Main d'Or is a now-closed theatre in Paris's 11th arrondissement, at 15 passage de la Main-d'Or, tucked inside the Faubourg Saint-Antoine district, historically home to Parisian cabinetmakers and furniture craftsmen.

How do you get there?

Passage de la Main-d'Or runs between the Faubourg Saint-Antoine and rue de Charonne, a short walk from the Ledru-Rollin and Faidherbe–Chaligny metro stations on line 8. It's one of dozens of narrow covered passages still standing in this corner of the 11th, originally built so carts could bring timber and finished furniture straight to the workshops hidden behind the street-facing buildings.

What will you see today?

The theatre occupies a former cabinetmaking workshop, and its name — "Main d'Or," the Golden Hand — comes from a large gilded hand sculpture that once stood in the courtyard leading to the entrance. Inside, the venue combined a circular auditorium seating 120 to 150 people with a separate exhibition room. The theatre hasn't staged anything in years, but the passage itself is worth a detour for anyone exploring the old furniture quarter, alongside other surviving passages such as passage du Chantier and cour du Bel-Air.

From Camus to Dieudonné: a brief history

Alain Illel opened the theatre on 5 November 1987. Its first season leaned heavily on literary adaptations: Albert Camus's "The Stranger," Boris Vian's "Froth on the Daydream," Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," Jean Genet's "The Maids" and Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit." From 1999, comedian Dieudonné rented the hall on a permanent basis and staged his own shows there three nights a week for more than fifteen years.

Why did it close?

In January 2014, the building's owners launched legal proceedings to end Dieudonné's lease. On 29 September 2015, the Paris Court of Appeal ruled in the owners' favour and ordered him to vacate the premises; the ruling was upheld through subsequent appeals. His run at the venue ended for good by 2018, and the theatre has not resumed a regular programme since, remaining closed to the public.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the Théâtre de la Main d'Or today? No — the theatre is closed and its interior isn't open to visitors. You can still walk through the passage de la Main-d'Or and see the building from outside.

Where exactly is it located? At 15, passage de la Main-d'Or, in Paris's 11th arrondissement, just off rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine.

Why is it called "Main d'Or"? After a gilded hand sculpture that once stood in the courtyard in front of the entrance.

What was staged there in its early years? Its opening season (1987–88) featured adaptations of Camus's "The Stranger," Vian's "Froth on the Daydream," Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," Genet's "The Maids" and Sartre's "No Exit."