French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Evstratov, French-Language Theatre at the Russian Court (1743-1796): The Invention of a Society
Theatre and Performance
This book has been reviewed in
the critical review section of Acta Fabula (Vol. 21, No. 4, April 2020)
"New Research on Classical Theatre",
edited by M. Escola, L. Michel, and J. Terribilini.
*
French-Language Theatre at the Russian Court (1743-1796): The Invention of a Society
Alexei Evstratov
978-0-7294-1182-0, xx+396 pages, 18 illustrations, £75.00
Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment 2016:07
French-language theatre, which was central to the daily lives of the Russian court and urban elites in the 18th century, has never been systematically explored. Alexei Evstratov’s book fills this gap, offering an interdisciplinary study of French-language performances staged in the capital of the Russian Empire from 1743—the year the first permanent company of French actors was established in Russia—to the death of Catherine II in 1796. This reconstruction of French-language theatre in St. Petersburg, viewed as an artistic, social, and political phenomenon, highlights the interactions between the authorities' agenda, the acting companies, the repertoire, and the social practices at play in the auditorium.
Alexei Evstratov offers a comprehensive overview of the many facets of French-language theatre: he compiles a repertoire of French-language plays performed at court and in the city, and analyzes both the staging of these productions and the theoretical discourses surrounding them. He demonstrates that French-language performances were at the heart of Catherine II's cultural policy, and that the importation of new cultural practices helped shape a local society supervised by the court. Indeed, these performances played a crucial role in defining the shifting boundaries between court and city, stage and audience, and the public and private spheres.
In this work, the author's analysis focuses, on the one hand, on the theatrical experience—particularly through reconstructing how different audiences received the French-language repertoire—and, on the other hand, on the cultural transfers between France and Russia in the 18th century. His investigation into the actors, spectators, plays, and performances thus contributes to the narrative of the invention of a society.
Introduction
1. The French Company of 'H.I.M. of All the Russias'
2. Performances for a New Empire: Civilizing Russia
3. French-Language Theatre Among Other Court Entertainments
4. The Structure of the French-Language Repertoire
5. The Audience(s) and the Performances: Material Conditions and Playhouse Conventions
6. The Space of Court Performances: Architecture and Social Hierarchies
7. Catherine II's Hermitages
8. From Court to City: French-Language Theatre Outside the Imperial Palace
Conclusion
Appendix 1: History of Russia in the Eighteenth Century: A Chronology
Appendix 2: Alphabetical List of Works Performed in French in St. Petersburg and Other Court Residences (1762-1796)
Appendix 3: Alphabetical List of French Actors in the Imperial Company
Bibliography
Index
Published by the Voltaire Foundation, as part of the Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment series.
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Alexei Evstratov investigates the crucial role of French-language performances within the cultural and political landscape of eighteenth-century Russia. Spanning the period from the establishment of the first permanent French acting company in 1743 to the death of Catherine II in 1796, the study examines how imported theatrical practices helped structure courtly life and urban elites. By analyzing repertoires, staging methods, and theoretical discourses, the work highlights the complex interactions linking imperial authority, artistic production, and social organization during the Enlightenment.
This interdisciplinary volume offers valuable perspectives for scholars interested in cultural transfers, theatrical history, and the formation of public spheres in the Russian Empire. It will particularly assist researchers exploring the mechanisms of court patronage, audience reception, and the circulation of European arts outside France. Readers seeking to understand how aesthetic practices contributed to defining social hierarchies and political identities under Catherine II will find this comprehensive investigation an essential resource.