In this new book, the first of its kind in English, Simon Trowbridge traces the rich and sometimes turbulent history of France’s national theatre company, the Comedie-Francaise, from its foundation in 1680 to the present day. The Comedie-Francaise has survived the vanity of kings and emperors. It has survived revolutions and wars. During all of its long history it has remained a true company, a society of actors. There have been good times and inevitable dips, but today this most legendary of theatres is also among Europe’s most dynamic and most compelling. High quality production photographs, along with other images, illustrate the text and help to convey the style and quality of the Comedie’s recent work.