Jean-Pierre Darras

JeanPierre Darras born in 1927 in Paris turned to theatre early on after studying literature Trained in the postwar dramatic centres he joined Jean Vilars TNP where he learned the discipline of classical repertoire and worked alongside major figures of the French stage He became known to the wider public through his satirical duo with Philippe Noiret where his sharp wit and gift for caricature stood out Darras then built a versatile career popular comedies boulevard theatre ambitious directing projects and more dramatic roles from the 1980s onward Deeply passionate about Molière he devoted several productions and writings to him seeking to reveal the man behind the legend In cinema he appeared in notable films such as Le Viager and LEmmerdeur where his precise ironic acting naturally found its place In 1982 he moved into directing with Le Braconnier de Dieu Later he founded a theatre festival in Carpentras with his wife Corinne Lahaye continuing his commitment to the stage until the end of his life