Mime, pantomime, poetry readings and the "attelana" (a kind of farce rather like the commedia dell'arte) were the dominant forms of entertainment, much of which lasted all day.

In 1981, the Roman Theatre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding preservation and architecture.

[1] The Orange theatre was created under the rule of Augustus, and is believed to be one of the first of its kind in this area of modern-day France.

[2] Although it is relatively sparse in decoration and embellishment, the three-story wall gives an overwhelmingly powerful appearance to the entire building.

Above the door was a frieze decorated with centaurs, which is no longer there but is instead on display across the street in the Orange Museum (unfortunately only remains are left).

It was used as a defensive post in the early Middle Ages, and by the 12th century began to be used by the Church for religious plays.

Reconstruction began in 1825 with the intent of returning the theatre to its original purpose: to host large, exciting performances.

This excavation and leveling of surrounding buildings uncovered many historical objects and artifacts that furthered knowledge of the history and uses of the structure.

[2] During the 19th century the theatre slowly began to recover its original splendour, due to the efforts of Prosper Mérimée, who then held the position of director of "Monuments Historiques."

Under his direction, restoration work began in 1825 and in 1869 the theatre became the home of a "Roman Festival" which celebrated the glory of Rome and included a performance of Méhul's opera, Joseph.

In the latter part of the century, all the major players of the French classical stage appeared in the Orange festivals, including Sarah Bernhardt who played "Phèdre" in 1903.