Consider this: a street named after a playwright whose comedies once echoed through Paris. That’s Rue Alfred Savoir. Alfred Savoir was not just any playwright. He was a Polish-born Frenchman who conquered Parisian theatre.
Rue Alfred Savoir is more than just a street. It is a reminder of a man who made people laugh. Savoir’s real name was Alfred Poznański. He adopted the alias to make his mark on the French stage. Born in 1883, he died in Paris in 1934.
Savoir’s plays were staged mainly in France. Some even made it to Poland. His first play, “Le troisième couvert,” was a hit. He wrote sarcastic comedies, vaudeville, and even serious historical dramas. “La Petite Catherine” was about Catherine the Great.
He co-founded the weekly magazine “Marianne.” During World War I, he served in the French air force. He received the Legion of Honour for his courage. Savoir was a rival of Steve Passeur. He believed in his own talent. After seeing Passeur’s play, he quipped, “What an admirable play. I am going to write it.”
His plays were called “vaudeville idéologique.” People called him the “Bernard Shaw of the Boulevard.” His farces had a relaxed view of sex. This view was funny to Parisians. It disturbed more puritanical Americans.
His play “Lui,” about a man who thinks he is God, inspired Mercedes de Acosta. His 1922 comedy “Banco” was daring. Clare Kummer adapted it. Alfred Lunt performed it in Washington and New York. Paramount filmed “Banco” in 1925. His circus farce “Der Dompteur” was staged in Berlin.
Savoir became head of production at Paramount’s French studio. He oversaw scripts with Sacha Guitry and Pierre Benoît. “La Huitième Femme de Barbe-Bleue” became the film “Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife.” Ernst Lubitsch directed it. Claudette Colbert and Gary Cooper starred.
The play was about a man who repeatedly married. He expected his wives to divorce him when he lost interest. His eighth wife challenged him. She demanded a marriage on her terms. The plot was controversial in the USA.
Rue Alfred Savoir might seem quiet now. However, remember the laughter and wit of the man behind the name. This street stands as a silent tribute to a comedic genius. He captured the hearts of Paris. His plays continue to entertain. So walk along Rue Alfred Savoir. Think of the playwright who knew how to make the world laugh.