©Comédie-Française 2005
 
 
             

The Actors of the Hôtel
de Bourgogne
   BEFORE 1680

Before Louis XIV founded the Comédie-Française, several Paris companies were performing the works of French playwrights. The oldest one, the heir to the Confrères de la passion company that had been established in Paris since the Middle Ages, had been housed at the Hôtel de Bourgogne since 1548 and, at the beginning of the 17th century, was claiming to be the "sole Royal company". Its actors were playing Rotrou's works and had to compete with the Théâtre du Marais where Montdory's company had been given permission by Corneille to perform his plays.

  
 
When Molière settled in Paris in 1658, the success of his plays and the protection granted to him by the young King started modifying the rules of "competition" between the three rival companies. The Marais company was partly absorbed by Molière's, which first performed at the Théâtre du Petit-Bourbon from 1658 to 1660, before moving to the beautiful Palais-Royal theatre built by Cardinal Richelieu. That theatre burnt down in 1781.		  

French and Italian
farceurs
 
After Molière's death in 1673, the actors of his Company directed by La Grange and Mademoiselle Molière (Armande Béjart) had to abandon their theatre to Lulli and his new Opera house. They moved to the Hôtel Guénégaud, on Rue Mazarine, which they shared with the Comédiens Italiens, and the two companies were named French and Italian farceurs. The death of La Thorillière in 1680, leader of the Hôtel de Bourgogne company, lead to the final merge of the rival companies.		  
 

Before 1680 • 1680 • 1689 • 1770
1782 • 1799 • 1993 • 1996