The Project

Established in 2020 to coincide with the École normale supérieure’s move to the Paris-Saclay University campus, the Scène de recherche – Théâtre Paris-Saclay is a versatile 160-seat performance venue located in the heart of the Saclay plateau. As a shared cultural facility of the University, it experiments with new ways of researching, creating, and communicating, fostering dialogue between the performing arts and the humanities, social sciences, and experimental sciences.

Its programming explores contemporary issues affecting our societies: ecology, artificial intelligence, gender, biology, technological transformations… The theater hosts research and creative residencies, fostering exchanges between artists and researchers to enrich their respective practices. For the 2026–2027 season, three artists and one duo are associated with the Research Stage: Marion Boudier & Guillermo Pisani, Nathanaëlle Raboisson, Simon Roth, and Victor Thimonier.

The Research Stage runs the ARRC (Year of Research in Research-Creation) program, a transdisciplinary training program, and develops numerous workshops for students and staff at Paris-Saclay University. It is also associated with the national PEPR ICCARE research program and leads the THEMIS project - Reaching Audiences, dedicated to renewing forms of cultural democratization.

A welcoming space open to students, researchers, and local residents, the Research Stage promotes contemporary creative works and the intersection of the arts and sciences. With more than fifty performances a year—including productions for young audiences—it is fully integrated into the cultural life of the Essonne region and brings the Moulon neighborhood in Gif-sur-Yvette to life through performances, film screenings, artistic workshops, and cultural outreach projects in schools.

Dear all,

Welcome to La Scène de recherche – Théâtre Paris-Saclay!
Located just a short distance from Line 18, this cultural venue on the Saclay Plateau is also a unique spot in the Île-de-France region. Set amidst the gardens of ENS Paris-Saclay, our white cube awaits you.

This tangible utopia, nestled in the heart of the campus, brings together performances and scientific knowledge in a single space, blending aesthetic experiences with research.
In the face of algorithmic preferences and certainties, La Scène de recherche bets on encounters, confrontations, and unexpected dialogues.

Starting in September, La Scène de recherche welcomes you under the banner of shared traditions to journey together through June.

To set the pace for the season, we’ll be offering…
Five family-friendly performances for children and teens,
Five major plays addressing powerful contemporary issues, featuring casts of up to thirteen actors and actresses,
Five evenings dedicated to experimentation and creative research,
A theater series exploring climate science.

And no new offerings? Yes, there are!
Two extraordinary nights blending funk and electronic music for a festive Research Stage,
A series of three concerts featuring classical music ensembles,
Three sessions to discover the careers of scientists who have left their mark on their disciplines,
Not to mention events you’ll only see at the Research Stage: the composer who builds a piano out of bananas or the acrobat who dances on the walls of student dorms.

The interplay between the arts, the sciences, and their dialogues shapes a project that speaks to everyone.
Its program could be called: Public Service of Curiosity.

See you soon!

Ulysse Baratin,
Director of the Scène de recherche - Théâtre Paris-Saclay