About the work
Molière wrote "The Versailles Impromptu" in 1663 as a one-act comedy, reportedly completed within just eight days. It premiered before Louis XIV in Versailles in October 1663, with the public premiere following on 4 November at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris.
Plot
Molière appears as himself, rehearsing a play commissioned on short notice by the king with his troupe of actors. As director, he gives detailed instructions on how to interpret roles, deliver lines and hold themselves on stage, while having the troupe parody a performance by the rival company at the Hôtel de Bourgogne. The rehearsal is repeatedly interrupted by criticism of Molière's own play "The School for Wives Criticized"; in the end, the king postpones the planned performance.
Cultural significance
The play is Molière's direct response to Edmé Boursault's satirical "Le Portrait du peintre" and part of a public feud surrounding "The School for Wives". As a play-within-a-play, it defends Molière's understanding of acting and criticism and is considered an early example of metatheatre on the French stage.