Jean-Louis BARRAULT. L.A.S. "Jean-Louis B", Sao Paulo May 28, 1954, to André Frank; 4pages in-4, vignette and Hotel Jaragua letterhead. Long letter on the success of the Compagnie Renaud-Barrault's tour of Brazil. [André Frank (1909-1971) had founded the Cahiers Renaud-Barrault.] They made a brilliant start in Rio with Gide's Œdipe, Molière's Amphytrion "received with enthusiasm", Anouilh's La Répétition, and Giraudoux's Pour Lucrèce, "a great success". Then Le Misanthrope, with "a sublime Madeleine [Renaud], an electricity on stage", triumphed. It was the first time in Rio that gallery seats were refused. Crommelinck's Le Cocu magnifique, "a big success", appreciated by some, criticized by others. Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard: "A triumph [...] 14 encores". Lastly, Claudel's Christophe Colomb "made the theater crack [...] 32 encores". He was happy as can be, as the troupe performed "an impromptu at the embassy". He himself gave two lectures, one on the repertoire, one on Claudel, visits to drama schools, a "lunch at a 14,000-cover workers' canteen", in an extraordinary atmosphere... "All this on sleep time, despite the daily work and the 17 performances in 17 days - and receptions every night, going to bed at 3 and 4am and working in the theater at 10am". Now they're in Sao Paulo: reception by the French consul, press conference, Le Misanthrope ("Audience more serious than in Rio, but no less knowledgeable, big success especially Madeleine and Bertin"), La Répétition, and preparation for the other shows. Visit to the Franco-Brazilian Lycée Pasteur with P. Bertin and J.F. Calvé, scene from Oronte's sonnet in front of the students "who responded with 2 scenes from À quoi rêvent les j. filles to which we responded with Chanson de Fortunio [...] not to mention a few nos de mime"... Attached is a press photograph of Jean-Louis Barrault and Madeleine Renaud returning from their tour of South America (August 7, 1950).