Palais-Royal

Palais-Royal was the residence of Cardinal Richelieu, whose interest in the stage induced him to build a private theatre in his own home. It was constructed in 1639 and could accommodate 1,200 spectators, but it was not used as a theatre until the cardinal’s play Mirame was produced there on 14 January 1641. After the death of Richelieu in 1642, the facility passed to the Crown and fell into neglect until it was used by Molière between 1661 and 1673. When the comedian died, Louis XIV assigned…