Molière pour rire et pour pleurer

9.5197355m6 episodesComedyFamily

“Where laughter becomes a weapon, and the stage becomes fate.”

Molière pour rire et pour pleurer recounts the life of Jean‑Baptiste Poquelin, from his childhood in an artisan family to his rise as Molière, a central figure of French theatre. The series shows his difficult decision to abandon the family trade and join Madeleine Béjart to found L’Illustre Théâtre, marked by debts and repeated setbacks. While touring the provinces, he shapes his style and discovers the power of comedy. Back in Paris, he makes a name for himself with Les Précieuses ridicules, but his sharp satires provoke fierce opposition, especially during the Tartuffe scandal. Supported by Louis XIV, he continues despite attacks, literary rivalries, and tensions within his troupe, particularly with Armande Béjart. The miniseries also follows his growing exhaustion, his determination to perform at any cost, and his final breath after Le Malade imaginaire, the ultimate symbol of an artist who lived — and died — for the stage.

Status

Ended

Original Language

French

Production

ORTF, Télécip

Network

ORTF Télévision, ORTF Télévision 2

Created By

Marcel Camus

Last Episode

S1 E6 · Dec 13, 1973