Molière's company (
La Troupe de Molière) was the theatrical company which formed around
Molière from 1648 onwards, when he was performing in the French provinces after the failure of the
Illustre Théâtre in 1645. In 1658 the company moved to Paris and, after a successful performance on 24 October 1658 in front of
Louis XIV at the
Louvre, was allowed to share the large hall in the
Hôtel du Petit-Bourbon with the Italian players of
Tiberio Fiorillo. At this time Molière's company became known as the Théâtre de Monsieur, since their official sponsor was the King's brother
Philippe, Duke of Orléans, known as Monsieur. When the Petit Bourbon was demolished in 1660 to make way for the eastern expansion of the
Louvre, Molière's troupe was allowed to use the abandoned
Théâtre du Palais-Royal. The latter theatre had originally been built by
Cardinal Richelieu in 1641. After Molière's death in 1673, his widow
Armande Béjart and the actor
La Grange kept the remnants of the company together, merging with the players from the
Théâtre du Marais and moving to the
Théâtre de Guénégaud. In 1680 the troupe of the
Hôtel de Bourgogne joined the players at the Guénégaud, giving birth to the
Comédie-Française.