Comedie Francaise - not only the most famous French theater, but also the country's only repertory theater in the state funding. It is located in the city center, near the Palais Royal.

At the root was King Louis XIV. Inveterate theater-goer, he issued a decree to merge the two leading Parisian troupe "Theatre of French comedians" and gave him the exclusive right to show the performances in Paris. The theater received financial support and the superintendent, and determined the repertoire of the troupe.

Court Theatre represented an association of actors ("Société"). Revenues were divided into shares outstanding for members of the partnership ("soseterom"). This structure is maintained at all times, except during the French Revolution. Then the Constituent Assembly renamed the Comedie Francaise theater in the Nation and to cancel all of his privileges. The troupe immediately split into royalists and republicans. The Republicans created the Theater of the Republic. The Jacobins were arrested all remaining in the company, and was sentenced to the guillotine. Condemned to death were rescued after the fall of Robespierre.

The creative life of the theater has been thoroughly regulated by statute approved by Napoleon during its sitting in Moscow. Forty-rule charter required weekly meetings of the troupe, duties soseterom play on stage every day without the right to refuse the role. This structure is preserved to this day, except that soseterom became more. In addition to them, on the local scene playing invited actors, "boarders." Each boarder tends to move in the status soseterom - this transition fundamentally improves earnings.

The unofficial name of the theater - the House of Moliere: Great comedy troupe played in the Palais Royal from 1661 by 1673. The theater kept the chair, which allegedly died during the presentation of Moliere "Imaginary Invalid" (in fact he died at home).

On the stage of the Comedie Francaise played Sarah Bernhardt, Jeanne Samary, Jean Marais. The tradition of the theater include the continued adherence to high drama, underlined attention to speech and language. Today, the Comedie Francaise - perhaps the only in the world of classical theater on a national scale, boldly going on creative experiments.