Agathe Giraud

Agathe Giraud is a Lecturer in Performing Arts at the University of Artois, UFR Letters and Arts, elected as Maître de Conférences (Associate Professor) in section 18 in 2023. She specializes in theater history, particularly focusing on 19th-21st century theatrical historiography, Romantic theater, and the works of Victor Hugo. Her research also encompasses the history and theory of mime and gesture arts, queer and drag performances, and questions of legitimacy in performing arts.

Dr. Giraud earned her Doctorate in French Literature from Sorbonne University in 2021 with a thesis titled "The other legend of the century? Creation, reception and fortune of Victor Hugo's Burgraves from 1843 to today," supervised by Florence Naugrette. She previously graduated in Modern Literature in 2016.

Her research interests span theatrical historiography from the 19th to 21st centuries, with particular expertise in Romantic theater (history, writing, theory, productions, and reception), the theater of Victor Hugo, and the history of mime and gesture arts. She also investigates queer and drag performances (particularly lipsync), questions of legitimacy in performing arts, the relationship between theater and institutions, reception studies, literary history and theory, and 19th century literature. Her work often examines how theatrical works are received and interpreted across different historical periods.

Dr. Giraud's publications reveal a strong focus on Victor Hugo's theatrical works, particularly "Les Burgraves," examining their creation, reception, and historical significance. Her research demonstrates interdisciplinary approaches combining literary analysis, theater history, and reception studies. She frequently explores how theatrical works are framed by historical narratives and how these narratives evolve over time, challenging established myths in theater history.

Dr. Giraud has been actively involved in numerous academic collaborations and event organization, including co-organizing international conferences on theatrical legitimacy, gestural practices on contemporary stages, and the history of mime. She participates in the Comédie-Française Registers Project, a digital humanities initiative involving multiple international institutions.

She teaches theater history at various institutions including the National School of Puppetry Arts (ESNAM) and has held teaching positions in secondary and higher education since 2016. Dr. Giraud is also involved in community service through French language teaching for exiles and asylum seekers.