French comedy theater. Theater Comédie-Francaise in Paris: detailed description

COMEDIE FRANCESIS (La Comédie Française)

The official name "Théâtre Français" is the French National Theater, one of the oldest theaters in Paris, the only repertory theater in France. Founded in 1680 by decree of Louis XIV, which united the Teatro Moliere, previously merged with the Teatro Mare, and the Teatro Burgundy Hotel. Famous actors of the troupe at that time: M. Chanmelet, M. Baron, C. Lagrange, C. Rosimon, A. Bejart. The theater received royal subsidies and was run by superintendents appointed by the king, who determined the repertoire, the composition of the troupe, etc.

The Comédie Française was a society of actors (société), the income was divided into shares, the members of the partnership, societers, were entitled to a whole share or part of it. The troupe of the theater also included boarders and actors who were invited to take on certain roles.

This organizational structure of the theater practically did not change. Serious temporary changes were introduced only during the revolutionary periods of history. The special position of the theater made it possible to attract the best French actors to the troupe. Almost all the major French actors are in one way or another associated with the "Comedie Francaise": M. Duclos, A. Lecouvreur, A. Lequesne, M. Dumenil, I. Clairon, Talma, J.B. Brizard, Mars, C. Duchenois, Georges, E. Rachelle, S. Bernard, J. Mounet-Sully, C. Coquelin and others. This also applies to French playwrights. Among them, Zh.B. Moliere, P. Cornel, J. Racine, J. F. Renyard, A. R. Lesage, P. Mariveaux, F. Voltaire, D. Diderot, P. Beaumarchais, V. Hugo, E. Scribe, A. Dumas- son, V. Sardu and others.

Certain difficulties have gone through the theater "Comedie Francaise" at the turn of the XIX - XX centuries, when the time came for the formation of the director's theater, which influenced the life of the main theater in France. A notable event was the invitation to the theater in the 1930s of directors Jacques Copot, Louis Jouvet, Charles Dyullen, Gaston Bati, who tried to move away from the archaic style and turn the troupe of stars into a creative ensemble. In the 1940s, Jean-Louis Barrot worked at the theater, staging "The Satin Slipper" by P. Claudel.

The radical reform of the theater is associated with the name of J. Meyer, a student of Jouvet, a graduate of the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Art, an educational institution under the auspices of the Comedie Française. He staged his first performances in 1944, and in 1946, after J.-L. Barro, he is appointed director of classical productions. Meyer worked in the theater for about 20 years, gradually introducing new aesthetics, educating young actors in the theater on the basis of live stage practice. He was successful with audiences and critics, but the desire for one-man management in creative leadership led to a conflict with the associates, as a result of which he was forced to leave the theater. But the period of his leadership did not pass without leaving a trace for the future theater.
Today, the Comedie Française is a theater that does not shy away from experiment. In the 1970s, plays by E. Ionesco and S. Beckett were staged here. The theater went even further. He began to invite foreign directors to stage productions: R. Wilson (La Fontaine's Fables), A. Vasiliev (Masquerade, 1992, Amphitrion, 2002), P. Fomenko (Les, 2003). The performances created by these directors were distinguished by the recognizable directorial style of each of them and the acting performance that distinguishes the world-famous Comedie Francaise school.
At the present time, the "Comedie Francaise" retains its organizational structure. It is run by a CEO (now Muriel Maiette), whose work is overseen by societers (there are now 40 of them. In addition, 20 boarders. Each boarder would like to become a societer, but the decision on the status of an actor is made at the annual meeting of the societers. This does not have to be voted on) less than 21 partners.
In our country, the theater toured in 1954 (Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev), 1969 (Moscow, Leningrad, Riga), 1973 (Moscow, Leningrad, Vilnius), 1985 (Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev). In 2005, the play "Comedie Française" "The Forest" by A. Ostrovsky, staged by P.N. Fomenko was shown at the Sixth International Theater Festival. A.P. Chekhov.

In 2010, "Comedie Francaise" presented at the Fifth International Theater Festival "Alexandrinsky" a play by Beaumarchais directed by Christophe Roca. (October 17 and 18, 2010).

A striking theatrical experiment can be called the production of the Quartet by H. Muller, which was presented at the Alexandrinsky Festival in 2007 with the participation of the Comedie Francaise. The performance was played by the actress Muriel Mayet, the general director of the Comedie Française.

In 1981, the renowned experimental stage director and playwright Heiner Müller wrote a play based on the novel Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos. Müller settled the exemplary heroes of the "gallant age" in the absurd space of the "bunker after the third world war" and "salon before the French revolution", and pitted them in a brutal "death duel". Valmont and the Marquis Merteuil from seducers and intriguers turned by the will of the playwright into the last people in the world, became fragments of culture. 25 years later, Mueller's fellow countryman, director Matthias Langhoff, staged The Quartet with the actors of the main theater of France, the Comedy Francaise: François Chateau and Muriel Mayette, who had just become director of the Comedie Francaise.

The uniqueness of Matthias Langhoff's performance is that both the actors and the director and even the author of the play turned out to be “like-minded people”, they speak the same language - the language of the stage, which combines absurdity and tragedy, “gallant age” and dystopia.

Matthias Langhoff and Heiner Müller worked together at the Berliner Ensemble for some time, and their fate is largely similar: living in the GDR, at home, they were never able to realize their talents. Langhoff puts on performances all over Europe: in Paris, Rouen, Rome, Madrid, and everywhere brings his unique style and penchant for experimentation. The combination of incongruous, absurdity and hyperrealism, beauty and dirt - these are Langhoff's favorite techniques. Langhoff calls Meyerhold and Stanislavsky his teachers (for the Russian audience this is especially flattering), whom he calls nothing but "the greatest masters in the world."

Previously, Langhoff had already staged another play by H. Müller - "Mission" - at the Théâtre de la Ville. Both Muriel Mayette and François Château have already worked with Langhoff: Mayette played in his "Dance of Death" based on Strindberg and "Leonce and Lena" after G. Buchner; Shatto - in The Prince of Homburg after the same G. Büchner and Macbeth. The combination of Langhoff's directorial handwriting and the acting of the renowned French school is unique in itself, the combination of the German avant-garde and age-old French acting is doubly unique. The Quartet is compared simultaneously with Miss Julie by A. Strindberg and Waiting for Godot by S. Beckett, the play combines the passion and sensuality of the characters and the absurdity of the “proposed circumstances”.

Over time, the Langhoff-Mayette-Shatto tandem has already developed, the director and actors understand each other perfectly, and you can feel it on stage - critics note that the combination of "actors of the highest standard" and "experimental director" is incredibly harmonious, and their joint work caused a very big hit.

"Comedie Francaise", or "Theater Francaise" - the oldest national theater not only in France, but also in the world; located in Paris, on Rue Richelieu. In addition to the main stage, he also gives performances at the Odeon Theater.

Just as the Maly Theater in Moscow is unofficially called the House of Ostrovsky, the Comedie Française is the House of Moliere, although the theater was founded in 1680, that is, after the death of Moliere. The fact is that the first troupe of the Comedie Francaise (27 people) included the orphaned actors of the Moliere Theater, joining with their former constant rivals - the actors of the Burgundy Hotel Theater (see French Theater). Moliere determined the repertoire of the Comedie Française for many years to come. For more than 300 years, everything written by the great playwright has been staged here. But it is not only Moliere who plays. Thanks to the subsidies received from the state, the theater has always had the opportunity to invite the best actors of the country to the troupe, as well as include the best plays in the repertoire. These are predominantly French classics. For a modern author, staging his play on the stage of the Comedie Française essentially means official recognition.

One of the performing traditions that have established themselves on the famous stage is the art of "His Majesty the Word", heightened sense and mastery of speech, impeccable diction, the ability to concentrate the whole meaning of what is happening in the word and at the same time give it a purely musical beauty of sound. The art of recitation still remains one of the main criteria of stage performance, by which an actor is judged.

The history of the Comédie Française is the history of theatrical art in France. The Comedie Francaise had a significant influence on European theater, and in particular on the formation and initial development of Russian theater. Michel Baron and Adrienne Lecouvreur, François Joseph Talma and Eliza Rachelle, Jean Mounet-Sully, Benoit-Constant Coquelin and Sarah Bernhardt performed on this stage. Here the traditions of French classicism of the 17th century were continued. - the great masters of tragedy J. Racine and P. Corneille. In the XVIII century. here were staged the works of enlighteners - Voltaire, D. Diderot, who stood up for the education and enlightenment of the people by means of the theater, and their follower - the brilliant comedian P. Beaumarchais. The walls of the Comédie Française remember the fierce political struggle during the years of the French Revolution of 1789-1799 and the equally fierce battle of artistic and aesthetic ideas in 1830 at the performance of V. Hugo's romantic drama Hernani. The battle for "Eriaii" was fought by representatives of romanticism with supporters of classicism, which did not want to give up its positions. And finally, already in the XX century. the emergence of directing once again blew up the citadel of acting traditions, following which the actors staged performances for themselves and thereby hindered their creative development.

Soviet viewers had the opportunity to get acquainted with the art of the famous theater actors during the repeated tours of the Comedie Francaise in the USSR.

- "Comedie Francaise" (official name "Theater Francais", Theater Francais), French drama theater. Founded in 1680 in Paris. Became a school for acting and directing. F.J. Talma, Rachelle, Sarah played here ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Comedie-Française

COMEDY FRANCESIS- (Comedie Francaise), or Theater Francais, a drama troupe in France, the world's oldest national theater. Established by decree of Louis XIV in 1680, its origins date back to the middle of the 17th century. In 1658, a company of itinerant actors in ... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Comedie Francaise- ("Comedie Française") (the official name is "Théâtre Français", "Théâtre Français"), the oldest national theater in France. Founded in 1680 in Paris by the decree of Louis XIV, which united the Moliere theater (previously merged with the Mare Theater) and the theater ... ...

"Comedie Francaise"- (Comédie Française) (officially called Théâtre Français, ThéÂtre Français), French drama theater. Founded in 1680 in Paris. Became a school of acting and directing. F.J. Talma, Rachelle, Sarah Bernhardt, B.K. Coquelin played here ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Comedie Francaise- (Comédie Française), French national theater, which plays both comedy and tragedy. Founded by Louis XIV in 1680. in Paris, revived by Napoleon in 1803. The theater is organized as a cooperative society in which each actor has ... ... Countries of the world. Dictionary

Comedie-Francaise- (officially named Teatro Francais Theater Francais), French drama theater. Founded in 1680 in Paris. Became a school for acting and directing. F.J. Talma, Rachelle, Sarah Bernhardt, B.C. Coquelin, L. Jouvet, J.L. Barrot and ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Comedie Francaise- Coordinates: 48 ° 51'49 ″ s. NS. 2 ° 20'09 ″ in. d. / 48.863611 ° N NS. 2.335833 ° E etc ... Wikipedia

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Detouche- Detouches, Philip Philippe Detouches Philippe Destouches Unknown artist. Portrait of F. Neriko Detusha. 1723. Name at birth ... Wikipedia

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comedy francaise

"Comedie-Francaise" (officially called "Theater Francais" Theater Francais), French drama theater. Founded in 1680 in Paris. Became a school for acting and directing. F.J. Talma, Rachelle, Sarah Bernhardt, B.C. Coquelin, L. Jouvet, J.L. Barrot and others played here. true to classical traditions.

Comedie Francaise

"Comedie Francaise"(Comédie-Française) (the official name ≈ "Teatro Francais", "Théâtre-Français"), the oldest national theater in France. Founded in 1680 in Paris by decree of Louis XIV, which united the Moliere Theater (previously merged with the Mare Theater) and the Burgundy Hotel Theater. The troupe included M. Chanmelet, M. Baron, Ch. Lagrange, L. Bejart and others. Possessing a monopoly on the performance of literary dramas and receiving a subsidy that allowed to invite the best actors, “K. F. " won the fame of the largest theater in France. However, the development of "K. F. " hindered by the conservative positions of the royal court. During the 18th century. in the theater there was a process of demarcation between the court-noble and democratic-educational tendencies of classicism. The "Voltaire" actors A. Lecouvreur, M. Dumenil, I. Cleron, AL Lequin, while preserving the classicist norms, strove for the psychological justification of declamation and stage behavior. During the years of the Great French Revolution, “K. F. " was called the "Theater of the Nation". The political struggle within the theater during the revolution led to a split in the troupe. Actors F. J. Talma, J. B. Dugazon, F. M. R. Vestris left “K. F. " and organized the "Theater of the Republic". In 1799, both parts of the troupe merged again, and the theater received its former name. On the eve of the July Revolution of 1830, on the stage of K. F. " V. Hugo's progressive romantic dramas were staged. The heroic theme was voiced with great force before the revolution of 1848 in the works of the actress E. Rachel. Since the 20s. 19th century on the stage “K. F. " plays were established in which romantic heroism was contrasted with the glorification of bourgeois morality (E. Scribe; in the 1940's and 1950's, E. Ogier, A. Dumas the son, V. Sardoux). The largest theater actors in the 19th and early 20th centuries. ≈ Georges, Mars, Sarah Bernhardt, J. Mounet-Sully.

Realistic traditions were developed mainly by comedic actors such as E.F.J. Guo, B.K. Koklen, and others. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries. VC. F. " works by playwrights of critical realism began to be staged - A. Beck, A. France, J. Renard, and later E. Fabre and others. directors J. Cono, L. Jouvet, C. Dyullen, G. Bati worked here. VC. F. " the creativity of the largest actors and directors of modern French theater was formed - M. Belle, J. Yonnel, B.M.J.Bovy, B. Bretti, J.L. Barrot, M. Renault, P. Ducks and others. Fidelity to classical traditions hindered penetration into the theater of formalistic decadent trends. The repertoire of “K. F. " the works of P. Corneille, J. Racine, Moliere, P. Marivaux, P. Beaumarchais, A. Musset, and others are widely represented. Among the leading theater actors (1950s-1960s) are J. Meyer, M. Escand, L. Seigner, J. Bertaud and others. The theater tours abroad (in 1954, 1964, 1969, 1973 it performed in the USSR).

Lit .: Mokulsky S., History of Western European Theater, vol. 2, Moscow-Leningrad, 1939; Boyadzhiev GN, Theatrical Paris today, [M.], 1960; History of Western European theater, vol. 3, 5, M., 1963-1970: Valmy-Baysse J., Naissance et vie de la Comédie-Française, P., 1945; Bretty B., La Comédie-Française a l "envers, P., 1.1957].

E. L. Finkelstein.

Wikipedia

Comedie Francaise

"Comedie Française" also known as Theater-Français or French Theater is the only government-funded repertory theater in France. Located in the center of Paris, in the 1st administrative district of the city, in the Palais Royal. Founded in 1680 by decree of King Louis XIV. The theater also has the unofficial name "House of Moliere", because before the establishment of the "Comedie Francaise" in the Palais Royal from 1661 to 1673, Moliere's troupe performed.

"Comedie Francaise" - the name of the theater "Teatro Francaise", French theater, French comedy theater. One of the oldest Western European professional theaters, it was created in 1680 by the decree of King Louis XIV, who united the Teatro Moliere (even earlier merged with the Teatro Mare) with the Burgundy Hotel theater. The troupe of the theater included 27 actors, including M. Chanmelet, M. Baron, P. Poisson, C. Lagrange, A. Bejart and others. The theater received a royal grant of 12,000 livres, and was directed by superintendents appointed by the king, who determined the repertoire, the composition of the troupe, etc. The Comedie Francaise was a society of actors (societe). The income was divided into 24 shares, the main participants of the partnership - "societers" - were entitled to a whole share or part of it. The troupe of the theater also included "retirees" - actors who received a salary. From the day the theater was founded until 1715, the king also had half of his share at his disposal, which he gave at his own discretion to the actors invited by him personally, without the consent of the troupe. Actors-shareholders were not interested in increasing the number of shares, as the income figure for each of them was decreasing. Pensioners, as it were, were in the service and received a salary regardless of the amount of the theater's income. They were recruited from provincial or private theaters in Paris. A pensioner could be promoted to a socialist as a result of a vote at a general meeting of a socialist held once a year. Then he was assigned either a full share, or part of a share, depending on his participation in the life of the theater.

"Comedie Francaise" began to work in the building of the Genego Hotel on st. Mazarin, and in 1687 moved to st. Fosse-Saint-Germain-des-Prés (now st. Old Comedie), where he remained until 1770. In 1771 the troupe played in the Tuileries, in the hall where the Convention was held during the revolution. In 1782, the Comédie-Française moved to the premises where the Odeon Theater was later founded. From 1802 to the present, the theater has been operating on the street. Richelieu in the Palais Royal area.

The building "Comedie Francaise"

In the 18th century, the theater was closely associated with the court and the aristocracy - the actors were called "ordinary actors of the king" and were subordinated to four court dignitaries, who took turns running the theater. The camera junkers (as they were called) had every right to preview all the plays scheduled for production, could intervene in the distribution of roles and admit new members to the troupe.

In the theater of this time, it was also customary to set aside seats for noble spectators right on the sides of the proscenium. Naturally, the actors could hear any noise or conversation during the performance. These special "places of honor" were gradually ousted from the stage, as the audience often interfered with the actors.

Soon after the creation of the Comédie-Française, the theater won the fame of the largest in France. The position of the "royal theater", that is, having a stable material base, made it possible to invite the most talented actors to the troupe of the theater. The theater had a monopoly on the performance of the best national dramatic works, which attracted such famous playwrights as J.F. Renyard, F.C. Dankourt, A.R. Lesage, F. Detouch, P.K. Nivelles de Lachosse, P. Marivaux. From the very beginning of the emergence of the theater, two acting schools were presented there, which were named "Racin's" and "Moliere's". The first was presented by the actors of the tragic classicist repertoire. The largest representative of the Racine school is Racine's favorite student and the best performer of his tragedies, the "sweet-sounding" Marie Chanmelet, who worked in the theater until 1697. It was under the leadership of Racine that she retained in her performance a high culture of poetic speech, stately nobility and grace. After Racine left the theater, Chanmelet, deprived of reliable leadership, often returned to that rude theatrical recitation, which Racine himself fought against. Chanmele was the Baron's main opponent. The largest actor in the Moliere school was the Baron, the last of the great comedian's pupils. The Baron was the only student of Moliere who devoted himself mainly to tragedy. However, he understood his tasks differently, especially in the field of theatrical recitation. In the first place in the reading of poetry, he put forward not the melodic side of the verse, but the thought contained in it. For the sake of the naturalness of the game, he obscured the rhyme, broke the rhythm of the Alexandrian verse, with which tragedies were written, brought it closer to prose, withstood long pauses in the middle of the tirade and resorted to such methods as inadmissible from the point of view of classicist declamation, such as whispering, sobbing, sobbing, etc. He violated the decorum and ceremonial behavior of the tragic hero. He was the first to introduce the principle of communication with a partner, unprecedented in French theater. Between Chanmelet and the Baron there was a struggle for eleven years, until the Baron unexpectedly left the stage in the full bloom of his fame.

From the first quarter of the 18th century, the Comédie-Française Theater staged works by French enlighteners who saw in the theatrical art a means of enlightening and educating the people. In 1718–1778, the tragic repertoire was based on the dramatic works of Voltaire, the plays of Diderot, P. Beaumarchais. As a theater, the "royal" "Comedie Francaise" was undoubtedly conservative to a certain extent: it retained the traditions of aristocratic classicism with its characteristic scenic convention, exaggerated affectation, decorative plastic acting poses, melodious, "howling" declamations, which received the most vivid expression in the acting art of the next generation - Bobourg, Duclos. In 1717, a new actress, who had built a solid reputation in the provinces, joined the troupe of the theater - Andrienne Lecouvreur. She debuted with great success as Monima in Racine's Mithridates. She played simply, sincerely, truthfully and was, according to Voltaire, "so touching that she made me cry." If Duclos was an actress of strength, then Lecouvreur excelled where subtle execution was required. She, like the Baron, appreciated her partner, knew how to listen to him. And when in 1729 the old actor Baron returned to the stage, it was in Lecouvreur that he saw his successor, happily communicated with her, but death in the same year cut short his care for the young actress, who also died tragically early - a year later, being 38 years old. All Paris stubbornly talked about the fact that she was poisoned by a high society lady-rival - this is how the cause of her death is depicted in Scribe's melodrama "Adrienne Lecouvreur". Another of the first attempts to change the image of the tragic heroine is associated with the name of this actress - in one of Corneille's tragedies, she appeared on stage in a black dress, devoid of fashionable embroidery and jewelry (as was customary) and without a wig, with her hair down. Tragic actresses at this time always performed in magnificent court dresses.

The entire history of the development of the drama theater, the history of the struggle between various theatrical and literary trends was reflected in his repertoire, in his acting school. Throughout the 18th century, theatrical classicism retreated and transformed. Actors of the new generation M. Baron, A. Lecouvreur, M. Dumenil, A. Lequin, while preserving the old features of the acting school, at the same time strove to renew it - to more psychological justification for declamation, to more natural stage behavior. However, the noble grandeur and monumentality of theatrical classicism had to give way to gallant eroticism, exquisite decorativeness and ornamentation. This style was played at the Granval Theater, M. Gossen and M. Dangeville. Granval was exquisite - he perfectly mastered the secret of "marivodage" - the gallant high society jargon of the 18th century. He brought the atmosphere of aristocratic salons to the stage. But the realistic manner of performance is increasingly displacing the classical manner of actors of the old generation: the actress Dumenil, with whom no one could compare in the power of influence on the audience, playing in the tragedies of the classicists, in the tragedies of Voltaire, was able to make the audience cry, creating images of "tragic mothers" ... She, playing royal persons, did not walk decorously and measuredly, but, protecting her son from the killer's hand, instantly, in one leap, she appeared next to him, exclaiming with tears in her eyes: "Stop, barbarian, this is my son!" The hall trembled. She could break all the rules of court etiquette and, for example, crawl down the steps of the tomb, again playing the queen. Crawl to the queen! And this is in the court theater! This actress played by instinct and therefore was excellent in all situations and in all dramas where passion reigned. She knew how to plunge the public into fear and horror, into grief and admiration. Clairon is another brilliant name of the theater, followed by Henri-Louis Lequin - a beloved actor and student of Voltaire, who did a tremendous job on himself, constantly improving his skills, he became one of the leading "first actors" of the theater, although his appearance did not have it, it would seem, to the main roles. Lekin's art denied gallant beauty and pampered grace. His element was harsh power, energy, dynamics of passions. He was the first actor who lived the thoughts of others (i.e., the heroes) as his own. He replayed all Voltaire roles. In 1759 Lekin also began directing work at the Comédie Française. Having received an extensive stage at his disposal, Lekin first of all discarded the standard decoration of the "palace in general", in which all tragedies were performed, regardless of their content. He introduced the habit of staging any new tragedy in a special setting, and even changing them if the play required it. He also paid great attention to the mise-en-scenes of the tragedy. As a rule, the actors came to the fore (proscenium) and spoke their monologues there. Leken began to arrange the actors on different plans of the stage in pictorial groups, and began to introduce transitions. His death on February 8, 1778 was an extremely tragic loss for the French theater. It happened shortly before the death of his teacher Voltaire. The latter arrived in Paris after many years of absence on the very day of Lequin's funeral and fainted at the news of his death. But he had successors and disciples.

During the French Revolution (1789-1794), the Comédie Francaise was renamed and became known as the Theater of the Nation. The political struggle during the revolution led to a split in the troupe (in 1792). By the end of 1789, two opposite political groupings were outlined in the theater. Supporters of the revolution and patriotic repertoire have grouped around the young actor Talma. The group of "blacks", that is, royalist actors, who cannot stand the fact that the stalls of their theater are filled with rabble, included many of the leading actors of the theater. The formal reason for the final split was the story around the play "Charles IX". This play has been performed successfully on stage 33 times. Its interpretation was revolutionary, that is, anti-monarchist. Royalist actors made sure that she was removed from the repertoire. But the audience, among whom were Danton, Mirabeau, deputies of departments, the mass of the revolutionary people, violently intervened in the affairs of the theater. Two thousand people shouted before the performance: "Charles IX!" The play had to be resumed, but the theater management took advantage of the illness of the actress Vestris and the departure of the actor who played the cardinal. Then Talma spoke to the audience. He said that the performance would take place at all costs - the actress Vestris would play out of patriotic feelings, despite her illness, and he himself, Talma, would simply read the role of the cardinal from a notebook. The audience's ovation was stormy. The play took place. Talma's conflict with the troupe took on ominous proportions. An enraged lead actor slapped him in the face, followed by a duel. The royalist actors decided to expel Talma from the theater troupe, which caused a huge scandal in the auditorium up to the intervention of the city authorities. In such a situation, naturally, coexistence was impossible. The revolution also passed through the main theater of France. Actor F.Zh. Talma (1763–1826), the greatest French actor, fascinated by civic tendencies in art, who embodied the heroic-revolutionary orientation in his work, together with J.B. Dugazon, F. Vestris left the Comedie Francaise and organized the Theater of the Republic. In this theater "Jacobin repertoire" was performed. Talma played the role of the tyrant Henry VIII in the play Chénier, as well as the role of a just judge, a fighter against the aristocracy, a national hero, a patriot. His heroes fought for justice. But he was not so revolutionary as to forget about the stable, protective tendencies of his art. After the counter-revolutionary coup of 1794, anti-Jacobin plays appeared on the stage of the Theater of the Republic.

In January 1793, the actors of the Theater of the Nation, that is, the Comedie Francaise, shortly before the execution of Louis XVI, showed the play The Friend of the Laws. Her central characters were a caricature of Robespierre and Marat. The play, of course, was equally enthusiastically received by the supporters of the monarchy. But the Jacobin "Leaf of Public Salvation" angrily demanded the closure of this theater as an "unclean brothel" dominated by "Prussian and Austrian whims."

As a result, the Public Security Committee ruled to close the Theater of the Nation and arrest its actors. The actors who remained in the "Theater of the Nation" were arrested by the Jacobin authorities in 1793 for staging "reactionary plays" and released only after the overthrow of Robespierre in 1794.

In 1799, both parts of the troupe merged again, and the theater received its former historical name. Napoleon's "Moscow decree" of 1812 once again approved the internal structure of the "Comedie Francaise" theater, which was later confirmed by the decrees of 1850, 1859, 1901, 1910, and also strengthened the position of the theater as a privileged and subordinate to the state authorities.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Comédie-Française was still an exemplary national drama and held a conservative position in art. The leading actors of the theater played in the tragedies of the national playwrights Lemercier and Renoir: Talma, Duchenois, Georges, Lafon, Mars. Talma is still one of the greatest actors in French theater. At this time, he plays mainly the heroes of Shakespeare's tragedies. In the last years of his life, Talma is actively involved in teaching practice. On the eve of the 1830 revolution, Victor Hugo's romantic dramas were staged on the stage of the theater. The heroic theme before the revolution of 1848 sounded in the works of the famous actress Rachelle. Then came a period of "lull" in the theater, when plays of the philistine kind of playwrights E. Scribe, E. Ogier, light and entertaining plays by A. Dumas-son, V. Sardou were played on the stage. The outstanding actress Agar was forced to leave the theater after 1871 for her sympathy with the Paris Commune. In the art of other tragic actors of the late nineteenth century - Sarah Bernhardt, J. Mounet-Sully, the features of academism and stylization intensified. At the same time, a comedy was actively staged, in which many talented actors played - the most brilliant of them Go and Coquelin. Their roles were distinguished by the embossing of the finish, strict consistency, and the ability to reveal the special character of the hero.

At the end of the 19th century, the works of realist playwrights - Beck, Frans, Renard, later - Fabre were performed on the stage of the renowned theater. The classical repertoire is also expanding - it includes works by P. Mérimée, O. Balzac, A. Musset, Shakespeare. The end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century, as in other European cultures, was marked by the formation of the director's theater - the figure of the director as the creator of the play acquires enormous weight and significance. A significant event for "Comedie Francaise" in the 30s of the twentieth century was the invitation to the production of such major directors as J. Copot, L. Jouvet, C. Dyullen, G. Bati. The name of this theater is associated with the work of other outstanding actors and directors of modern theater - J.L. Barrot, M. Belle, J. Yonell, B.-M. Bovey, B. Bretti and others.

The oldest national theater in France is also called the "House of Moliere" - leading French actors and directors have always worked in it. It is an honor and a responsibility. French and European classics are always present on its stage. Theater "Comedie Francaise", perhaps, can be compared with our Maly Theater - "House of Ostrovsky". Such theaters always remain in the minds of compatriots as exemplary, standard, keeping the best theatrical traditions of their culture.