Molière, Homme de théâtre: Actor, Manager, Acting Teacher, and the First Theatre Director

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to document and analyse Molière`s complex activity as actor, troupe manager, acting teacher, and the first theatre director. In the introductory section, we trace the path of young Jean-Baptiste Poquelin in an era when the first two professional theatres emerged in Paris, alongside the theatre of French farceurs and Italian commedia dell`arte actors. We follow the stages of his artistic evolution, we analyse the influences on his acting thinking and style, his relationship with the Sun King, and the collaboration with the artists that surrounded him. We further discuss the charismatic figure of Molière, his acting characteristics and those of the great actors with whom he formed “L`Illustre Théâtre”, followed by “La Troupe”. An important section is dedicated to Molière’s interest in revolutionizing the acting methods. His special attention to his actors’ acting—from the concept of the characters to their psychological and behavioural construction, natural pronunciation, and attention to the smallest details related to interpretation—emphasize the importance of his pedagogy and establish Molière as the first professional theatre director. In the Conclusions, we discuss Molière’s rebellion against rules (his defiance of the rules of the French Academy, social conventions, and the harmful customs of society), his major contribution to the history of stage professions and to the modernization of professional acting. The strength of his artistic options defines him as a brave innovator: Molière shaped modern comedy writing and raised the status of stage professions.