The Italian Comedians

From the 16th century, under the influence of Catherine de Médicis, the Italian Comedians regularly cross the Alps to play in Paris where the company encounters great success. These troupes, which present the plays of the Commedia dell'Arte, often perform in Italian and introduce to the French stage completely new theatrical techniques. Embodying character types of which one especially retains the names of Punch, Harlequin or Scaramouch, the Italian Comedians rely heavily on improvisation, and gesture always takes precedent over text. Effervescent, jolly, funny and acrobatic, they transform the relationship between the audience and the stage.
Not subject to the known rules, they dare to present bawdy stories, political satires, parodies and critiques allowed by their comic interpretation. Their talent combines dance, song, buffoonery and mime. The public is enthusiastic and does not need to understand their language to participate in the intrigue, particularly since it is often very light.
The real comic art of the Italian troupes comes from their stage interpretation, or lazzi, that gives the action a fast rhythm and keeps the public spellbound. Alternately playing at the Petit-Bourbon, then at the Palais Royal, with the troupe of Molière, the Italian comedians were for him an incontestable influence. If Molière, following French tradition, grants a major place to discourse and reasoning in his comedies, he incororates a movement and rhythm directly descended from the Commedia dell' Arte.
Several of his comedies find their source in the Italian repertoire; be it L'Etourdi inspired by L'Inavertito, or the Dépit amoureux inspired by L'Interesse, or Tartuffe inspired by Lo Ipocrito or Dom Juan adapted from Il convitato di pietra translated into French by Biancolelli. The Italian Comedians have a great renown and a faithful public throughout the 17th century. Unfortunately they believe themselves unassailable and their use of reckless language and criticism of authority ultimately leads to their downfall. Their effrontery is without limit and when they focus their attention on Mme de Maintenon in a play entitled La Fausse Prude (The Bogus Prude), they expose themselves to the King's wrath and he finally orders their expulsion.
Saint Simon did not fail to relate the event, with his usual irony :
It made a big noise, and, if these comedians thereby lost their establishment through their audacity and lunacy, the one (Madame de Maintenon) who had them expelled gained nothing from it, considering the way that tittle-tattle grew about this ridiculous event.