Course:History 344 Nasty Families/Pastimes/Theater

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Early Stuart Theater

Theater in the Interregnum

Early in the interregnum period, playhouses were closed and it was illegal to put on or attend plays. Official theater activity ended in 1642, although some illegal productions were attempted. As a result, theater in England during this period suffered greatly. [1]

The Restoration of the Theater

The year 1660 marked a major political event that affected the theater in England; the restoration of the monarchy. Theaters reopened in England almost as soon as Charles II arrived. In July 1660, a royal patent was given, allowing two courtiers of Charles II, Killigrew and to Davenant, to establish two theater companies as the only official theaters in London.[2] The two official theaters, aptly named the King's and Duke's for the restored King Charles II and his brother James, the Duke of York. [3] Thanks to the "Puritans" who had torn most of the theater houses down, the new companies had no adequate theaters and had to 'make shift' with tennis courts. [4] The two companies stylized the tennis court theaters based on the developed styles on the continent. [5] As theaters gradually began to rise in England, playhouses began to develop their own unique English characteristics such as the apron. The apron or forestage was "an acting area forward of the curtain, thrusting well into the audience space and with entrances on either side.[6] Further, larger, permanent playhouses allowed for machines to be used to create elaborate allusions such as characters flying over the stage.[7] Although use of such elaborate machines were rare, they, along with the other characteristics of the playhouses, made the theater of the Restoration period one of spectacle which awed and entertained their audiences.


Restoration Drama 1660-1688 and Revolution Drama 1689-1714

Dramas and plays in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, during the Stuart period, can easily be organized into two sub periods. Dramas from 1660-1688 can be classified as "Restoration Drama" while dramas from 1689-1714 are called "Revolution Dramas." Within these two dramatic periods, plays can be further organized by genres. There were five major types of dramatic genres, Heroic Romance, Political Tragedy, Personal Tragedy, Tragicomic Romance, and Social Comedy. [8]

In addition to not having any standing theaters, there was also no new plays to choose from and as a result, plays from the Civil Wars were used. When a body of new plays existed, most of the plays were adaptations of earlier Cavalier dramas often depicting lost heirs to thrones and estates. "Plays became subject to state censorship through the offices of Master of the Revels and the Lord Chamberlain...though exercised rather mildly except in times of political crisis." [9] Regardless of being subject to censorship, plays including comedies were political. Comedies regularly disciplined "Puritans and Cits, opponents of the Court who, because of religious or economic ties to new sources of power especially in the City of London, had demanded participation in their own government but were now caricatured as vain, hypocritical, vulgar, and eminently unworthy to rule." [10] Restoration drama's saw a plethora of cit-cuckolding plots, rakes, self indulgent protagonists, sexual innuendos and otherwise questionable 'morals.' This was the accepted and common form of entertainment that was produced. A notable play that embodies the Puritan faction being largely vilified is in Sir Robert Howard's The Committee. Howard's play depicts an the evil Puritan 'Day' Family whose evil actions include using guardianship over young girls and infants to seize their land and estates. On a more sexual innuendo side that truly embodies the sexual entertainment aspect seen during restoration drama is William Wycherley's The Country Wife, which follows the plotted game of Horner who spreads the rumor that he is a eunuch to get close to wives and to sleep with them without being caught; because you can't be suspected of cuckolding if you are a eunuch. Such plays were often met with criticism, but provide insight into the social and political attitudes that were prevalent during the period. However, the Revolution Dramatic period saw a new ruling oligarchy which required an ideology that embodies a new character and morality; Revolution drama was used to help constitute the new ethos and ethics. [11] Restoration drama saw plays that told stories about positions being based on birth and legitimacy whereas Revolution dramas increasingly portrayed worth based on merit.

The Theater as an Enterprise

“It is essential to remember that the London stage was a profit-seeking enterprise, financed by wealthy investors, who were the major shareholders.” [12] In general, during the period of 1660-1737, the theater was a very profitable enterprise for shareholders. "Ticket prices early were four shillings for the boxes, two for the pit, one and half for the middle gallery, and one for the upper.” [13] Prices began to rise as audiences began demanding and theaters began showing more elaborate and upper class productions such as operas and even entre acte and afterpiece pantomimes and entertainments.

Many of the plays were well known by the audience and the fully lit playhouses with opera-style seating provided the perfect opportunity for patrons to see their neighbors and to be seen. Patrons would go to the theater less to see the play and more for a social outing where they might show off their clothes or connections, or perhaps "to search for sexual game".[14] Of course, the illicit sexual activity and social mixing encouraged by the setting of the theater was cause for criticism, particularly from the Puritans.

Nell Gwynne, famous actress and mistress of Charles II

The Introduction of Actresses

One of the most important innovations of the Restoration stage was the presence of actresses; previously, female roles had been played by young boys. “Like today’s film stars, beautiful actresses were a great attraction. With their low-cut dresses they could show off their bosoms, and when they played 'breeches' roles, they could show off their legs.” [15] Moreover, actresses enacted roles of significant agency such as queens and private women of powerful persuasion and intelligence. Some notably great actresses of the time were the Marshall sisters, Rebecca and Anne, Nell Gwynne (Charles II’s mistress), Katherine Corey, Elizabeth Barry, Anne Bracegridle, Anne Oldfield, Letitia Fenton, and Charlotte Charke. [16]

Bibliography

  1. ↑ Edward A. Langhans, "Theater" in The Cambridge Companion to English Restoration Theater, ed. Deborah Payne Fisk (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000): 2.
  2. ↑ Ibid., 1.
  3. ↑ J. Dourglas Canfield, "Introduction" in 'Restoration & Early Eighteenth Century Drama, ed. J. Douglas Canfield. (Peterbourough, Ontario: Broadview Press Ltd, 2005): xii.
  4. ↑ Ibid, xiii
  5. ↑ Langhans, 2.
  6. ↑ Ibid., 7-8.
  7. ↑ Ibid., 8
  8. ↑ Canfield, xii
  9. ↑ Ibid, xiii.
  10. ↑ Ibid, xv.
  11. ↑ Ibid, xv.
  12. ↑ Ibid, xix.
  13. ↑ Ibid, xix.
  14. ↑ Langhans, 14.
  15. ↑ Canfield, xix.
  16. ↑ Ibid, xix.
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