For centuries, theatre has been part of life in the Vaud capital. The Protestant reformer Théodore de Bèze wrote the first tragedy of the French repertoire here, Abraham sacrifiant, and Voltaire had his plays show here before a cosmopolitan audience. But it is only since the second part of the 20th century that the Lausanne theatrical scene has brilliantly bloomed to become an internationally influential centre of creativity, particularly with the touring Théâtre de Vidy.