Comedie Française

Comédie-Française

Théâtre de la République Théâtre-Français
Comédie-Française seen from the Place de l'Opéra
Address	2 rue de Richelieu, 1st arrondissement Paris
Coordinates	48°51′49″N 2°20′10″E / 48.8635°N 2.3362°E / 48.8635; 2.3362Coordinates: 48°51′49″N 2°20′10″E / 48.8635°N 2.3362°E / 48.8635; 2.3362
Capacity	1,100
Construction
Opened	1680 (Comédie-Française founded) 1790 (Salle Richelieu opens) 1799 (Comédie-Française moves into the Salle Richelieu)
Rebuilt	1900
Architect	Victor Louis
Website
www.comedie-francaise.fr

The Comédie-Française (French pronunciation: ​[kɔmedi fʁɑ̃sɛz]) or Théâtre-Français (IPA: [teatʁə fʁɑ̃sɛ]) is one of the few state theatres in France and is considered the oldest still-active theatre in the world. It is the only state theatre to have its own troupe of actors. The company's primary venue is the Salle Richelieu. The theatre is part of the Palais-Royal complex and located at 2 rue de Richelieu on the Place André-Malraux in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

The theatre has also been known as the Théâtre de la République and La maison de Molière (English: House of Molière). It inherited the latter name from the troupe of the best-known playwright associated with the Comédie-Française, Molière. He was considered the patron of French actors. He died seven years before “La maison de Molière” was rechristened the “Comédie-Française,” and the company continued to be known popularly by the former name even after the official change of name.

The Comédie-Française was founded by a decree of Louis XIV on August 8, 1680 to merge the only two Parisian acting troupes of the time, the troupe of the Guénégaud Theatre and that of the Hôtel de Bourgogne. On the death of Molière in 1673, the troupe at the Guénégaud had been formed by a merger of the Théâtre du Marais and the Troupe de Molière. Thus the Comédie-Française may be said to have an unbroken tradition reaching back to the days of Molière, and to have had theatre connections for more than a century previous to the death of the great dramatist in 1673. In 1680, the repertoire consisted of the collection of theatrical works by Molière and Jean Racine, along with a few works by Pierre Corneille, Paul Scarron and Jean Rotrou. Two years after the amalgamation of the dramatic companies, they received a royal grant of £12,000 per year; and seven years later they took as their name their present designation of “players of the Comédie Française.”