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Before the Restoration

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Before the Restoration Before the Restoration • Brief review of theatre spaces before the restoration • Note that English theatre was mainly performed outdoors before the late 17th century. Ancient Greek Theatre Roman Theatre (Bosra, Syria) Booth Stages (England) Became a favored stage space Mystery Plays Pageant Wagons The Globe Theatre Elizabethan Theatre Spaces Restoration • 1642 – 1649 Civil War in England – Charles I and Royalist vs. Puritans led by Oliver Cromwell. • 1642 – all theatres closed. Remain closed until 1660 • Charles I beheaded 1649 Cromwell and The Commonwealth • Theatres officially closed. • Elizabethan playhouses dismantled But theatre still continued • Drolls – Short version of full length plays • William Davenant – Staged “musical entertainments” in his home – The Siege of Rhodes • First English opera • First show with women actors • First show in England with movable scenery Restoration • Cromwell dies 1658 • Cromwell’s son is unable to control England • Charles II is invited back from France • The monarchy, landed gentry and the Church of England is restored. William Davenant and Thomas Killigrew • Davenant – Oxford • Killigrew - Royalist graduate • Stayed with royal • Poet laureate family in France • Knighted for service • Before the theatres to the Royalist closed he was a • 1660 - Received playwright patent to open a • 1660 received patent theatre to open a theatre • Founded Duke’s • Founded King’s Company (promising Company (older young actors actors) • Davenant’s young company was stronger and better managed • Killigrew made master of the revels 1673 – Head of royal festivities and stage censorship • Two companies combined in 1682 Drury Lane interior, 1674 • One of the two Patent theatres Note the candle Chandeliers which Illuminated the actors and audience Drury Lane Drury Lane 1808 Vanishing Point Perspective • Made it possible to draw buildings, trees, and figures on to backdrops with perspective and the correct proportions. • The illusion of reality was being developed. Men as women to Women as Men Restoration brought women actors to the stage • Before the restoration, all female parts in England were played by males, typically boys. • Interestingly, in the restoration women often played breeches roles or trouser roles where the women would dress up as a men. • http://lvoblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/pants- roles.html Hrotsvitha ----Aphra Behn Female Playwrights • Hrotsvitha was a nun who wrote plays based on Roman plays. Being a nun she could read and write in Latin so having access to Latin texts was not an issue. Her plays followed Roman models but the subject matter was about faith. She is believed to be the first woman playwright in Europe Aphra Behn • Behn was one of the first English female playwrights and was the most successful woman playwright of her era. She paved the way for many future female playwrights. Changes in philosophy and politics • John Locke 1632-1704 – Natural law – Representative government with a constitution – Rulers are responsible to the people – Government created to protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. – Locke and others began to influence attitudes toward rulers, this would be significant in the 1700’s with the American and French Revolutions Wing and Shutter Scenery • Both England and Europe used wings and shutter scenery. However the Europeans used a pole and chariot system to move scenery and the English used a groove system. The pole and chariot needed fewer people (potentially only one) to change the scenery, the English system needed more people to move scenery. Torelli’s Pole and Chariot system (European) Groove System (England) • http://theatrehistory2010.blogspot.com/201 0_04_01_archive.html Sharing System vs. Contract System • In the Elizabethan period actors were members of companies and shared the profits • Comédie-Français operated under a sharing system • English theatres after the restoration operated mostly on a contract system. Actors were contracted for a certain period of time and were paid a set fee. This is much like the current system. Benefit performances • Benefit performances were given for actors once a year to boost their income Loss of Control for Actors • Although the actor gained some certainty on their income, the lost much of the artistic control they once had. Not being a part of the decisions as they were under the sharing system, they could not easily influence the artistic direction of the company • Actors were nevertheless, the main attraction for audiences instead of the play or playwright..
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