Troupe of Molière
Encyclopedia
Molière's company was the theatrical company which formed around Molière
from 1648 onwards. It followed his Illustre Théâtre
and disappeared in 1680, seven years after his death, upon its merger with the troupes of the théâtre du Marais
and the Hôtel de Bourgogne
, giving birth to the Comédie-Française
.
, the troupe at the Hôtel de Bourgogne
merged into those already gathered by Molière
and the Théâtre du Marais
. The larger company allowed daily shows, and even to play to the court and to the city on the same day. Thus the Comédie-Française
was born.
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
from 1648 onwards. It followed his Illustre Théâtre
Illustre Théâtre
The Illustre Théâtre was a French theatre company set up by Molière on 30 June 1643, and shut down less than two years later on his imprisonment in August 1645. However, it is notable for its impact on the history of the French theatre...
and disappeared in 1680, seven years after his death, upon its merger with the troupes of the théâtre du Marais
Théâtre du Marais
The Théâtre du Marais has been the name of several theatres and theatrical troupes in Paris, France. The original and most famous theatre of the name operated in the 17th century. The name was briefly revived for a revolutionary theatre in 1791, and revived again in 1976...
and the Hôtel de Bourgogne
Hôtel de Bourgogne
Until the 16th century, the Hôtel de Bourgogne was the name of the Paris residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Today, the last vestige is the Tour Jean sans Peur, 20 rue Étienne Marcel, in the 2nd arrondissement.-Theatre:...
, giving birth to the Comédie-Française
Comédie-Française
The Comédie-Française or Théâtre-Français is one of the few state theaters in France. It is the only state theater to have its own troupe of actors. It is located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris....
.
Paris
In 1680, by order of Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, the troupe at the Hôtel de Bourgogne
Hôtel de Bourgogne
Until the 16th century, the Hôtel de Bourgogne was the name of the Paris residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Today, the last vestige is the Tour Jean sans Peur, 20 rue Étienne Marcel, in the 2nd arrondissement.-Theatre:...
merged into those already gathered by Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
and the Théâtre du Marais
Théâtre du Marais
The Théâtre du Marais has been the name of several theatres and theatrical troupes in Paris, France. The original and most famous theatre of the name operated in the 17th century. The name was briefly revived for a revolutionary theatre in 1791, and revived again in 1976...
. The larger company allowed daily shows, and even to play to the court and to the city on the same day. Thus the Comédie-Française
Comédie-Française
The Comédie-Française or Théâtre-Français is one of the few state theaters in France. It is the only state theater to have its own troupe of actors. It is located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris....
was born.
Repertoire
The company's repertoire was not mainly comic. In 1659, its first full year based in Paris, it put on (grouped by genre) the following plays, seemingly its provincial repertoire too:Tragedy
It is notable there are more tragedies than comedies in the repertoire.- Alcionée, by Pierre Du RyerPierre du RyerPierre du Ryer was a French dramatist.He was born in Paris. His early comedies are loosely modelled on those of Alexandre Hardy, but after the production of the Cid he became an imitator of Pierre Corneille; this was the period when he produced his masterpiece Scévole, probably in 1644...
- Le CidLe CidLe Cid is a tragicomedy written by Pierre Corneille and published in 1636. It is based on the legend of El Cid.The play followed Corneille's first true tragedy, Médée, produced in 1635. An enormous popular success, Corneille's Le Cid was the subject of a heated polemic over the norms of dramatic...
, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine... - CinnaCinna (play)Cinna ou la Clémence d'Auguste is a tragedy by Pierre Corneille written for the Théâtre du Marais in 1639. It takes place in ancient Rome, but the ideas and themes characterize the age of Louis XIV, most notably the establishment of royal power over the nobility...
, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine... - Héraclius, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
- Horace, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
- Marianne, by Tristan L'HermiteTristan l'HermiteSee also François Tristan l'HermiteTristan l'Hermite was a French political and military figure of the late Middle Ages.He was provost of the marshals of the King's household under Louis XI of France, which gave him enormous power in the Intrigues and plots that characterized that king's 22-year...
- La Mort de Crispe, by François de GrenailleFrançois de GrenailleFrançois de Grenaille , sieur de Chatonnières, was a French writer.- Life :A monk at Bordeaux and Agen, he left his monastery to come to Paris, where he published several works and was for 26 years historian to Gaston, Duke of Orléans. He won major notoriety, engaging in politics, but his zeal led...
- La Mort de Pompée, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
- Oreste et Pilade, by François-Joseph de Chancel
- Rodogune, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
- Scévole, by Pierre du RyerPierre du RyerPierre du Ryer was a French dramatist.He was born in Paris. His early comedies are loosely modelled on those of Alexandre Hardy, but after the production of the Cid he became an imitator of Pierre Corneille; this was the period when he produced his masterpiece Scévole, probably in 1644...
- Venceslas, by Jean RotrouJean RotrouJean Rotrou was a French poet and tragedian.Rotrou was born at Dreux in Normandy. He studied at Dreux and at Paris, and, though three years younger than Pierre Corneille, began writing before him. In 1632 he became playwright to the actors of the Hôtel de Bourgogne...
- Zénobie, by Jean MagnonJean Magnon-Selected works:*Le Gran Tamerlan et Bejezet , on Tamerlane and Bayezid I*Tite , tragi-comedy on the life of Titus and his affair with Berenice*Zénobie, Reyne de Palmire , tragedy on the life of Zenobia-External links:...
Comedy
- Le Campagnard, by Gillet de La TessonerieGillet de La TessonerieGillet de La Tessonerie was a French playwright. Little of his life is known, though he is known to have been a member of the council of the Cour des Monnaies in 1642 and to have written written 9 plays between 1640 and 1657....
- La Folle Gageure, by François Le Métel de BoisrobertFrançois le Métel de BoisrobertFrançois le Métel de Boisrobert was a French poet.-Biography:He was born at Caen, and trained as a lawyer, practising for some time at the bar at Rouen. About 1622 he went to Paris, and by the next year had established a footing at court, for he had a share in the ballet of the Bacchanales...
- L’Héritier ridicule, by Paul ScarronPaul ScarronPaul Scarron was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist. His precise birthdate is unknown, but he was baptized on July 4, 1610...
- Don Japhet d’Arménie, by Paul ScarronPaul ScarronPaul Scarron was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist. His precise birthdate is unknown, but he was baptized on July 4, 1610...
- Jodelet ou le Maître valet, by Paul ScarronPaul ScarronPaul Scarron was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist. His precise birthdate is unknown, but he was baptized on July 4, 1610...
- Jodelet prince, by Thomas CorneilleThomas CorneilleThomas Corneille was a French dramatist.- Personal life :Born in Rouen nearly twenty years after his brother Pierre, the "great Corneille", Thomas's skill as a poet seems to have shown itself early. At the age of fifteen he composed a play in Latin which was performed by his fellow-pupils at the...
- Le Gouvernement de Sancho Pansa, by Guyon Guérin de BouscalGuyon Guérin de BouscalGuyon Guérin de Bouscal was a French dramatist and novelist.-Selected works:*Oroondate , a parody of the widespread literary models of heroic courtship...
- Le Médecin malgré luiLe Médecin malgré luiLe Médecin malgré lui is a comedy by Molière.-Characters:*Sganarelle, a woodcutter*Martine, Sganarelle's wife*Géronte, a wealthy bourgeois*Lucinde, Géronte's daughter...
, by MolièreMolièreJean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature... - Le MenteurLe MenteurThe Liar is a farcical play by Pierre Corneille that was first performed in 1644. It was based on La Verdad Sospechosa by the Spanish-American playwright Juan Ruíz de Alarcón, which was published in 1634.- Summary :...
, by Pierre CorneillePierre CorneillePierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine... - Les Visionnaires, by Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin.
Farce
It is also noteworthy that there are only three works by Molière himself in the company's repertoire at this point, though by 1673 30 of its 90 play repertoire were by him (many inspired by the comedies above).- Gros-René écolier, by MolièreMolièreJean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
- Le Médecin volantLe Médecin VolantLe Médecin volant is a French play by Molière, and his first, presented in 1645. It is composed of 16 scenes and has seven characters:* Gorgibus, an old nobleman, the father of Lucile...
, by MolièreMolièreJean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
Sources
- Henry Lyonnet, Dictionnaire des comédiens français, Bibliothèque de la revue Universelle Internationale Illustrée, Paris et Genève, 1902–1908
- Pierre Larousse, Grand Dictionnaire Universel du XIXe siecle
- Théâtre complet de Molière, Le Livre de poche.