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. It was succeeded by la Troupe de Molière.

By an act of association signed on 30 June 1643, before the notaries M^es Duchesne and Fieffé, the troupe was set up by the following signatories:

The new troupe set up at first at the Perle dive, rue de la Perle in Paris. Some months later, it moved to Rouen where an eleventh member, Catherine Bourgeois, was added, some of the original, like Bonenfant, having stayed in Paris.

Having won the protection of the duc d'Orléans, the new troupe returned to Paris and took up residence at the jeu de paume des Métayers, 13 rue de Seine, where they opened on 1 January 1644 playing tragedy. Receipts were low and their protector left for the war. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, who signed himself Molière from 28 June, was obliged to borrow. They had to leave and moved to the jeu de paume de la Croix-Noire, rue des Barrés, in December of the same year. Unable to repay his multiple creditors, Molière was imprisoned in August 1645 : after less than two years of existence, the Illustre Théâtre had finally failed, but it had made a mark on the history of theatre.

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