Jean Vilar was invited to present his first great successful play - Murder in the Cathedral by T. Eliot in the Palais des papes.
Vilar initially refused the invitation as for him the Cour d'honneur du Palais des papes was too vast and "shapeless" and he also lost the performance rights of the play. The very first Festival d'Avignon in September set the scene as a showcase for unknown work of the universal repertoire and modern scripts. For 17 years, the Festival reflected the work of one man, one team, one location and thus was the embodiment of one spirit. Jean Vilar's aim was to attract a young captivated and fresh audience, through a type of theatre that was different from what could be seen in Paris at that time.
He wanted to "renew theatre and collective forms of art by providing a more open space Jean Vilar developed an attachment to the group of actors who performed each July in front of a growing and devoted audience.
The Festival spearheaded a rebirth of French theatre. The theatre was given a new lease of life thanks to the work of directors sent by the state on missions to places then considered as cultural deserts. The Festival d'Avignon became a meeting place for these stage pioneers and at the same time, an expected summer cultural event in France. It was now clear that the Festival d'Avignon was a permanent fixture on the cultural calendar.
It was time for Vilar to have a permanent stage. She realised that the decentralisation policy in France convinced a large number of people. An interdepartmental committee wanted a report on national theatre; Laurent suggested that the report should focus on popular theatre ; what was possible in the provinces was certainly possible for Paris and its suburbs. The committee was not insensitive to Laurent's determination and approved her idea. That was on the 17th of July She immediately caught a train to Avignon and asked Vilar to work with her on this project.
