THE RESTORATIONEngland 1660

HISTORY King Charles II and his court returned to England from exile in France and attempted to

adapt services of theatre to his needs. He authorized 2 dramatists, Thomas Killegrew and Sir William D’Avenant, to form 2

acting companies. Their audiences were courtiers and their servants as well as the middle class.

Thomas Killegrew

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Theatre Royal – remodeled now

MORE HISTORY… This created a unique theatrical form: “Restoration Comedy”

Focused on adventures of “people of quality” and reflected their manners, humor and interests.

Verbal Wit was essential and was used to satirize this class and its morality.

Often sexually explicit. Contained up-to-the-minute topical writing

CHARACTERISTICS OF PRODUCTIONS Women were cast in female roles.

Nell Gwynn – considered first professional actress She was also the mistress of King Charles II.

Nearly 25% of all plays produced in London

included women in “breeches roles” (women wore

tight-fitting knee length pants and played the role

of a man). It gave them the freedom to behave

like men.

EXAMPLES OF WOMEN IN “BREECHES ROLE”

Sarah Bernhardt in a Breeches Role1917

MORE CHARACTERISTICS… Acting Schools were established. Actors developed greater realism than before (although still not like modern realism).

Thomas Betterton played every great male part from 1660 into the 1700s

PHYSICAL THEATRE SPACE Banquet halls in palaces were redesigned to accommodate performances.

Since most English Renaissance theatres were gone (like the Globe) new English theatres were more like the French and Italian theatres – they had proscenium stages with large aprons.

MORE PHYSICAL SPACE Backdrops could be raised or lowered.

Act Curtains were used for the first time in England.

Stage floors had grooves for sliding “flats” or “shutters” back and forth for scenery.

The floor was raked away from the audience for perspective.

Lighting came from chandeliers of candles over the apron and footlights of candles along the front of the stage. (No more open roofs like The Globe).

IMPORTANT PLAYWRIGHTS Aphra Behn (1640-1689)

One of the first professional women writers She worked as a spy for the British Crown Produced 19 plays, some bawdy topics In spite of her literary success, she died in poverty Most famous play called: “Oroonoko” - 1688

MORE… PLAYWRIGHTS AND PLAYS William Wycherley (1640-1715)

The Country Wife - 1675

William Congreve (1670-1729) The Way of the World - 1700

Oliver Goldsmith (1730-1774) She Stoops to Conquer – 1773

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816) The Rivals – 1775 The School for Scandal - 1777

Wycherley

Congreve

Goldsmith

The End !

Intro to TheatreMs. Birtcher2013-2014