Julie Deliquet at the Théâtre Gérard-Philipe, in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, in September 2021. PASCAL VICTOR/OPALE.PHOTO
After her name had been circulating for several months, the announcement put an end to the suspense: Julie Deliquet, director and current head of the Théâtre Gérard-Philipe (TGP) in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, succeeds Wajdi Mouawad as director of the Théâtre National de la Colline in Paris at the age of 45. Chosen over Arthur Nauzyciel (the other candidate), she has been appointed for a five-year term, renewable twice in periods of three years.
This decision, made on the recommendation of the current culture minister, Rachida Dati, to the president, comes just days before the Lebanese-Canadian artist leaves, on March 8, the large glass theater (currently under renovation) near Place Gambetta in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. Mouawad, who could have remained in the role until March 2027, chose to shorten his tenure by a year and regain his independence. He announced this publicly in March 2025, giving the Ministry of Culture ample time to find the ideal replacement.
Deliquet, who has been at the TGP since March 2020, leaves behind a national drama center (CDN) in excellent condition, drawing an intergenerational audience from both Paris and Saint-Denis. For theaters located on the outskirts of the capital, this is far from a given and stands as a noteworthy achievement to her credit.
