Jean-Marie Besset
- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Born in Carcassonne, Jean-Marie Besset spent his childhood in the
nearby small town of Limoux, in Southwest France, until his
Baccalaureat (1977). With degrees in business (ESSEC, 1981) and
political sciences (IEP Paris, 1984), he divided for twelve years his
time between Paris and New York. In 1999-2000, he returned to France to
become the artistic director of the Théâtre de l'Atelier, a land-marked
Paris theatre acquired by Laura Pels. Since 2000, in partnership with
producer/director Gilbert Désveaux, he has formed the company BCDV
theater to initiate and develop projects (among which, a summer theatre
festival, NAVA -New Authors in the Aude Valley.)In 2010-2013, the duo
ran the National Theatre (CDN) in Montpellier.
His plays include Villa Luco, The Function, What You Get And What You Expect (NYTW premiere 2000), The Best Of Schools (Grande Ecole), A Commentary On Love, Rue de Babylone, The Greeks, Perthus, The Girl On The Train, I Don't Want To Marry, The Banquet At Auteuil.
He's also the French translator of playwrights Edward Albee, Tennessee Williams, Will Eno, Alan Bennett, Michael Frayn, Tom Stoppard.
Several of his plays or adaptations have been made into movies: Grande Ecole (Dir. Robert Salis, 2004), The Girl On The Train (André Téchiné, 2008), Life Of Riley (Alain Resnais, 2014).
His plays include Villa Luco, The Function, What You Get And What You Expect (NYTW premiere 2000), The Best Of Schools (Grande Ecole), A Commentary On Love, Rue de Babylone, The Greeks, Perthus, The Girl On The Train, I Don't Want To Marry, The Banquet At Auteuil.
He's also the French translator of playwrights Edward Albee, Tennessee Williams, Will Eno, Alan Bennett, Michael Frayn, Tom Stoppard.
Several of his plays or adaptations have been made into movies: Grande Ecole (Dir. Robert Salis, 2004), The Girl On The Train (André Téchiné, 2008), Life Of Riley (Alain Resnais, 2014).
