1862 -
1921
A French dramatist and accomplished writer of satire, known for his farces with elaborate plot lines, often dealing with cases of marital infidelity or mistaken identity. His plays rely on a combination of coincidence, complicated stage directions, and failures of communication.
Born in Paris in 1862, Feydeau was attracted very early both by acting and writing for the theatre. However, it was not until 1892, with the staging of "Monsieur Chasse" that he gained wide popular success. This play, and those that followed, brought the farce to perfection: their humour relies on complex and highly efficient plots, usually improbable and contrived, in which the slightest threat to the middle-class order can give way to an unstoppable series of mishaps, leading to a disastrous conclusion.
Feydeau's major works include "La Dame de Chez Maxim", "La Puce à l'Oreille" and "Le Dindon".