AI and Scholars Reimagine the Playwright’s Final
What might 17th-century French playwright Molière have created had he not collapsed on stage performing The Imaginary Invalid? A team of French scholars, artists, and an AI company set out to answer this long-standing question.
Their collaborative project has produced “L’Astrologue ou les Faux Présages” (The Astrologer or the False Omens), a new comedy set to premiere next year at the Palace of Versailles, the historic court of King Louis XIV—Molière’s own patron.
“We wanted to recreate a glimpse of Molière’s creative process using today’s AI capabilities,” explained Hugo Caselles-Dupré, an expert in AI-driven artistic creation who participated in the project.
Often hailed as one of France’s greatest literary icons, Molière’s influence runs so deep that the French language is sometimes called “the language of Molière.” His sharp social satire and comedic insight remain central to French education and theatre. Despite royal support, Molière lived through years of hardship and ultimately died at 51—leading admirers to wonder what his next satirical target might have been.
According to the “Molière Ex Machina” initiative—powered by French AI firm Mistral AI—the playwright’s next subject could well have been astrology.
“Molière touched on astrology in several works, though often subtly,” noted Mickaël Bouffard, art historian and director of the new play. “We explored how he might have expanded that theme into a full comedy.”
The resulting plot follows Géronte, a naïve bourgeois who becomes the victim of a deceitful astrologer. The fraudster attempts to manipulate Géronte into marrying off his daughter to a dishonest wigmaker, despite her affection for another man.
Importantly, the AI model did not work in isolation. Scholars refined the script, corrected historical inconsistencies, and adjusted character details—ensuring authenticity while preserving Molière’s voice.
The experiment not only produced a new theatrical work but also offered researchers fresh insights into Molière’s artistry, more than three centuries after his death.
