French Neoclassical Theatre
Court Entertainment and Pageantry
Early Drama: Confrerie de la Passion
by: Gina D'Arco
& Jenna Pryor
- Gained popularity from Catherine de Medicis in 1560s when she went on a 2-year tour of France
- Similar to intermezzi in Italy and masques in England
- Lack characters, plot development, and dialogue but share theatrical elements
- Opposite end of the theatre spectrum- appealed to nobility
- 1402 - Confrerie de la Passion organized in Paris to present religious plays
- Presented drama for over a century
- 1548 Hotel de Bourgogne became permanent location
- First permanent theatre in Europe since Roman times
- Before the Hotel was completed, religious plays were banned in Paris, so the Confrerie could not use the space for their own productions
- However, they were given a monopoly on theatreical productions so other groups rented the hotel, or paid them a fee
Background: France
in 16th and 17th Centuries
- Instability from religious war-- ended in 1594
- Henry IV converted to Catholicism
- non-Catholics granted equality and tolerance
- France flourished and stabilized under Louis XIV (17th century)
- Explored Canada and Louisiana Territory
- Italy strong influence on politics
- Italy strong influence on drama; neoclassical, theatre structure, scenic design
- Italian royalty married into French royalty (Catherine de Medicis married Henry II)
Popular Theatre
Alexandre Hardy
- During the sixteenth century professional troupes began in other parts of France
- Influenced by Italian commedia
- Performed farce with song and dance as well as dramatic material
- In middle 1500's a literary group called the Pleiade was formed to further writing and culture
- Plays based on Neoclassical models
- Derivative plays aimed at the upper class
- When theatre was flourishing in Spain and England, it did not fully get underway in France until 1598
- Considered first professional French playwright
- Lived 1572-1632
- For 35 years, beginning in 1597, Hardy wrote several hundred plays
- Only 34 survive
- Used neoclassical devices
- Messengers and five act structure
- Paid no attention to unities of time, place and action
- Used supernatural characters and showed violence onstage
- Plays were probably performed at Hotel de Bourgogne
This prezi is dedicated to Jenna Pryor