English Restoration Theatre (1650/1660-1700)

Historical Background

•Charles I was removed from throne and beheaded by Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans in 1649 after a 7 year civil war

•Next 11 years known as the commonwealth

–Cromwell died in 1658 and his son could not control government

•In 1660, Charles II, who had been living in France, was invited by a newly elected Parliament to return from exile and rule England

–Monarchy was restored and the new period was called the Restoration.

–Rulers that followed:

•James II (1685)

•William and Mary (1688)

 

 

Theatre During the Commonwealth

 

 Puritans closed theatres in 1642

Playhouses were dismantled

               Actors were persecuted

–            Reopened in 1660

•Around 1650, William Beeston acquired the Salisbury Court Theatre and began to train a company of boys

–Performed drolls – short versions of full-length plays, usually comedies

 

                                                             William Davenant

 

•Court playwright before the closing of the theatres

–Presented theatre as “musical entertainments” and staged them in his home

•In 1656, he presented The First Day’s Entertainment at Rutland House and The Siege of Rhodes

–The Siege of Rhodes had a proscenium arch and wing-shutter settings

•Influences of Italian scenic designs incorporated – first public performance with changeable scenery was used

•Considered the first English opera

•First public performance in which actresses appeared on stage

 

 

Restoration Drama

 

 

•Unique fusion between Elizabethan stage conventions and Italian and French styles

–French culture was especially influential in Restoration society

•Charles II had spent his exile in France

•James II had ties with Catholic Europe

•Serious Drama

–Heroic Tragedy

•Dealt with extraordinary characters who undertook extraordinary deeds and had themes of love and honor

–Restoration Tragedy

•Adherence to Neoclassic Rules

•Popular to rework Shakespeare into Neoclassical mold

–Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending

–King Lear with Lear restored to his throne and

Cordelia does not die

 

•Thomas Betterton

–Admired for his attention to detail, self-discipline and majestic restraint, he remained a model of English oratorical style

–Noted for his dazzling characterizations of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes, even though he was equally skillful in comedy and tragedy

•Appearance of actresses on the English stage

–Popular dramatic device to dress woman as a man – called breeches roles

•Considered by religious leaders to be scandalous

–Actresses often seen as no better than prostitutes

•Not necessarily a sign of equality or equal treatment by allowing women to perform

–Eleanor (Nell) Gwynn

•Famous actress – excelled in singing and dancing but was a failure in tragedy

•Drew attention of Charles II and became his mistress and left the stage

 

I have certain information from a powerpoint in which the restoration means for example how King Charles was beheadded and then the country didn't have a king or queen for 10 years, evantually seen sense and then wanted Charles's son to become the new king making him Charles the second II!   This was restoration in the country.