Troop of Molière

The Troupe of Molière was the theater company, which was constituted around Molière as from 1648, and which disappeared in 1680, seven years after the death of this one, during fusion with the troops of the Théâtre of the Marsh and the Hôtel of Burgundy, giving rise to the Comédie-Française.

Province

After the failure of the Illustrates Theater, Molière was imprisoned for debts a few days with the Prison of Large-Châtelet the. It left in August 1645 there. One is not certain course of Molière the following years. It seems to be introduced with an unspecified date into the troop of Charles Dufresne, which had exerted in province for several years, since one finds the trace of this troop with Lyon in 1643, with Bordeaux and Agen in 1646. It was then under the protection of Mr. d' Épernon, governor of Guyenne. Molière brought with him the Béjart: Madeleine, Joseph and Genevieve.

The attested presence of Molière in this troop dates only of April 23rd, 1648 with Nantes, where it was with Charles Dufresne, Pierre Réveillon and Of the Park, which remained to him faithful until its death in 1664. Displacements of this troop and its evolution are known only punctually thanks to receipts or registers of baptism and marriage. The dates are those of the presences attested by documents of files.

In October, the troop “was given” then to Mister, (Philippe de France), single brother of Louis XIV against the honor of its protection and 300 pounds of revenue to each actor, revenue which was not, appears it, ever paid. It was called consequently: “troop of Mister, single brother of the King”.

Paris

  • October 24th, 1658: Beginning with the Louvre in front of the king by Nicomède , tragedy of Pierre Corneille and the Doctor in love , joke of Molière
  • November 2nd, 1658: Beginning in public with the Petit-Bourbon by Thoughtless the .
  • January 20th, 1661, the troop passed to the Palais Royal. The representations went to follow one another without interruption either in this room in front of the public, or in deprived, with the Louvre, the castle of Chilly-Mazarin, Vincennes, the Château of Saint-Cloud, Chantilly, Versailles, etc
  • In 1665, the troop, supported by Louis XIV became the “Troop of the King”.

Molière, man orchestrates this troop, at the same time actor, manager, speaker, director, director and author, became exhausted with these tasks. He died on February 17th, 1673. The troop lost shortly after the room of the Palais Royal.

the Barn, second of Molière, took the troop in hand, rented the Hôtel Guénégaud on July 9th, 1673, and, to fill the defections, engaged actors of the Théâtre of the Marsh, which was going little by little to cause the fusion of the two troops.

In 1680, on order of the king, the troop of the Hôtel of Burgundy came to be melted in those already joined together of Molière and the Marais. The increase in the personnel allowed daily representations, and to even play the same day at the Court and the city. The Comédie-Française had been born.

Actors (by order of entry in the troop)

  • Charles Dufresne
    • Directeur of the troop of the duke of Épernon
    • was released little by little from its responsibilities and left the troop at Easter 1659, shortly after the arrival with Paris, to take its retirement
    • tragic Supporting roles

  • Of the Park

    • Appartenait to the troop of Dufresne in 1647
    • Quitta with his wife the troop during one year for the troop of the Marais
    • Y returned and remained there until its death in 1664
    • Rôles of servants, created the character of Large-Rene

  • Molière

    • Signataire Illustrates Theater
    • Tint the functions of actor, manager, director, speaker, director and author
    • the FIT left the troop until its death in 1673
    • Rôles servants, marquis and first roles comic

  • Madeleine Béjart

    • Signataire undoubtedly Illustrates Theater
    • the FIT part of the troop at the same time as Molière
    • became the director about It after Dufresne, then eclipsed behind Molière
    • the FIT left the troop until its death in 1672

  • Joseph Béjart

    • Signataire undoubtedly Illustrates Theater
    • the FIT part of the troop at the same time as Molière
    • Mourut in 1658 shortly after its arrival with Paris

  • Genevieve Béjart

    • Signataire undoubtedly Illustrates Theater
    • the FIT part of the troop at the same time as Molière and remained there until its death in 1675

  • M {{the}} of Brie

    • Arrivée in the troop before January 1650
    • formed of It part beyond the meeting of 1680, since it accepted the order to leave to the retirement in 1685
    • Rôles ingenuous

  • Louis Béjart

    • Arrived about 1650 at the 20 years age
    • Departure in 1670, at 40 years, to take its retirement. Pensioner by the troop
    • Roles of grimes, duennas and servants

  • Of Brie

    • Arrivé in the troop towards 1650
    • Remained in the troop until its death in 1676
    • Rôles of utilities, considered to be actor poor

  • M {{the}} the Barn

    • Arrived about 1653 when the troop was in Lyon. Started as chambermaid
    • formed of It part beyond the meeting of 1680, since it left to the retirement in 1692
    • Rôles appearing and country-women, judged poor actress

  • M {{the}} Of the Park

    • Arrived in 1653, when the troop was with Lyon
    • Absence one year with her husband in 1659-1660
    • Quitta definitively in at the end of 1666 for the Troop of the Hôtel of Burgundy
    • Rôles of large vain, first tragic roles (in the parts of Racine)

  • Armande Béjart (M {{the}} Molière)

    • Appeared for the first time on a theater with Lyon in 1653, at approximately the 13 years age
    • formed of It part beyond the meeting of 1680, since it left to the retirement in 1694
    • Rôles ingenuous and large vain

  • the Barn

    • Arrivé in at the end of 1658 when the troop came to Paris
    • formed of It part until its death in 1692
    • Orateur of the troop as from 1664 in the place of Molière, cash clerk and archivist of the troop
    • Rôles of young first, of in love, marquis; considered excel actor

  • Andre Hubert

    • Entered in 1664 in the place of Brécourt
    • the FIT left the troop beyond the meeting of 1680, since it left to the retirement in 1685
    • Rôles peasants and kings

  • Of Croisy

    • Entered in 1659 with its wife M {{the}} Of Croisy
    • the FIT left the troop beyond the meeting of 1680, since it left to the retirement in 1689
    • Rôles pedants. Created also the character of Tartuffe

  • M {{the}} Of Croisy

    • Entrée in 1659 with her husband Of Croisy
    • Excludes from the troop in 1665
    • Comédienne judged “with the lower part of poor” the

  • Thorillière

    • Entered in 1662, coming from the troop of the Marais
    • Left the troop in 1673 with died of Molière for the Hôtel of Burgundy
    • Rôles of marquis and arguers

  • Espy

    • Arrivé in 1659 with his/her brother Jodelet (exchange with the couple Of the Park)
    • Left in 1663 to take its retirement
    • Rôles of arguers

  • Jodelet

    • Entered in 1659 with his/her brother Espy (exchange with the couple Of the Park)
    • Died in 1660
    • Role of the servant Jodelet which it created

Repertory

The repertory of the troop was not primarily comic, far is necessary some. In 1659, first whole year of its installation with Paris, the played parts were (list gathered by kinds): It is probably the repertory which had been played the previous years in province. It is noticed that there are more tragedies than of comedies, and than there are only two parts of Molière. Several of these authors are almost forgotten today, but Molière was inspired some for its following works. In 1673, with its death, the repertory comprised approximately 90 parts of which about thirty him.

Sources

  • Henry Lyonnet, Dictionary of the French actors , Library of the Illustrated International Universal review, Paris and Geneva, 1902-1908
  • Pierre Larousse, Large Universal Dictionary of the 19th century
  • complete Theater of Molière , the Book of pocket.

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