Françoise-Marie-Jeanne-Elisabeth Gaultier (1720–1803), stage name Madame Drouin, was a French stage actress.

She was engaged at the Comédie-Française in 1742. She became a Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française in 1742. She retired in 1780.

Madame Drouin

Drouin was a versatile actress, which was not common during a time when most actors specialized in their one category of roles. She shared the tragedy and princess roles with Jeanne-Catherine Gaussem and the heroine roles with Marie-Geneviève Dupré, as well as the soubrette roles with Marie-Anne Botot Dangeville. When Marianne-Hélène de Mottes and Marie-Anne Pauline Du Mont retired and Mademoiselle Camouche (Jacqueline Camouche) died, she took over the character roles, in which she dominated for her last twenty years onstage.

Madame Drouin

She was also a good singer and was able to take on singing roles.

Madame Drouin

Drouin is also remembered for being the first woman allowed to hold the opening speech and prologue before a show on the Comédie-Française, which was a controversial thing in its time.

References

External links

Madame Drouin, Comédie-Française

1720 births

1803 deaths

18th-century French actresses

French stage actresses