Breaking the “Fourth Wall” With Parody : The Case of Mathilde, a Drama From 1842
This article compares the burlesque parody, Mathilde, by Gabriel Lurieu and Michel Masson (Théâtre du Palais-Royal), to the drama also entitled Mathilde, by Félix Pyat and Eugène Sue (Théâtre de la Porte-Saint-Martin), in order to show the various means by which the parodists succeed in shattering the theatrical illusion that normally allows those who have come to see a play to adhere to the fiction created on stage. Among other things, they play the card of connivance with the audience, relying on playful transgressions from the source work to break the fourth wall and make way for sarcastic laughter and critical judgment.