English Restoration Theatre Begins

English Restoration Theatre Begins

1660 - In England the theatre quickly revives but in a new French pattern. Charles II* has found the French system of theatre monopoly a sensible one so he sets his Master of Revels*, Sir Henry Herbert* (who did this job for Charles' father) to work assigning monopolies in the English form of patents* . This is a licence to perform. Herbert gives out three of these to William Beeston* at the Salisbury Court*, Michael Mohun* at the Red Bull*, and John Rhodes* at the Cockpit*. Unfortunately Charles* isn't aware that Herbert is moving so fast and he (Charles*) gives a monopoly on theatrical production in London to two other guys. The first goes to Sir William Davenant*'s troupe called The King's Men* (even though, in the French manner, it now includes women.) They appear at a hastily converted tennis court, Lincoln's Inn Fields*. It takes them a year to fix it up and open. It has the first English permanent proscenium arch behind the apron.

The second patent is given to Thomas Killigrew* (1612-83), a dramatist before the theatre closing and one of those who went with the court into French exile. It takes him a little longer to get his troupe, the Duke's Men*, up and running since he is busy building the Theatre Royal*.

It takes all year for these men who get the king's patents to suppress the three Herbert gave licences to. Eventually things get sorted out. The rush to pin down monopolies is further complicated by a guy named George Jolly* who has been running an English touring company in Germany and had a promise from Charles back in 1655. The king adds him to the list but the other two patent holders manage to diddle him out of it and hire him to teach actors. The upshot of this confusion over licensing is that Herbert and the office of Master of Revels looses the power to license theatres and companies in London. He has to be content with regulating the rest of England and collecting fees for licensing plays. This leaves Davenant* and Killigrew* with almost complete control over theatrical performance in London. This will put a real crimp in the development of the English theatre and be a terrific help in getting theatre started in the English colonies in America. There is one more patent granted but it is for a theatre in Ireland. John Ogilby* who held the patent before the civil war gets it renewed now. Since there is very little audience established in London this limited monopoly business makes economic sense. The audiences are made up of the court, upper- It takes all year for these men who get the king's patents to suppress the three Herbert gave licences to. Eventually things get sorted out. The rush to pin down monopolies is further complicated by a guy named George Jolly* who has been running an English touring company in Germany and had a promise from Charles back in 1655. The king adds him to the list but the other two patent holders manage to diddle him out of it and hire him to teach actors. The upshot of this confusion over licensing is that Herbert and the office of Master of Revels looses the power to license theatres and companies in London. He has to be content with regulating the rest of England and collecting fees for licensing plays. This leaves Davenant* and Killigrew* with almost complete control over theatrical performance in London. This will put a real crimp in the development of the English theatre and be a terrific help in getting theatre started in the English colonies in America. There is one more patent granted but it is for a theatre in Ireland. John Ogilby* who held the patent before the civil war gets it renewed now. Since there is very little audience established in London this limited monopoly business makes economic sense. The audiences are made up of the court, upper-

At first, the plays put on by these companies are revivals of pre-commonwealth successes. Soon they will come up with something like the new kind of comedies of manners* so popular in Paris. Since they now use actresses, in the French tradition, they will be able to do more realistic satires on current manners. Before the Civil War, only men were permitted to act on the stage. The view was that having women on stage was immoral. They will also try their hands at "heroic" tragedies. These kinds of plays will be popular for the next twenty years. One of the more interesting and informative characters of this period is Samuel Pepys*, who keeps an extensive Diary* including tons of gossipy information about the theatre. Fortunately it will be published.

1660 - Moliere* comes out with Sganarelle, or le cocu imaginaire*. 1661 In France Cardinal Mazarin* dies, Louis XIV* begins to run the country himself. He

appoints Jean Baptiste Colbert* (fl.1661-83) Minister of Finance. Since he has a 22 million franc debt this is a smart move. Colbert will be a significant figure in the fortunes of France.

In England the new parliament is fiercely Royalist and passes the Act of Uniformity enforcing the use of the Anglican Prayer Book. Around 2,000 ministers leave the church in disgust. More emigration to America. They also pass an interesting series of Acts repressing religious practice other than the approved Anglican. The Five Mile Act orders dissenting ministers to remain at least that far from any place they had ever preached in and forbids them teaching at schools. These stringent acts will lead eventually, be;ieve it or not, to the industrial revolution.

1661 - Moliere* is granted an annual pension by Louis XIV*, and his troupe performs exclusively at the Palais Royal*. He puts on L'ecole des maris* [School for husbands*] and a court entertainment, The Bores*. His works poke fun at many contemporary affectations and at times makes the populace angry because of his disdain for conventions.

In London Sir William Davenant*'s The Siege of Rhodes* opens at his new theatre Lincoln's Inn Fields*.

1662 - The first theatre built in Great Britain after the Restoration* opens in Ireland. It is John Ogilby*'s The Smock Alley* in Dublin.

1662 - Moliere* comes out with L'ecole des femmes* [School for Wives*.] In London the Theatre Royal* opens under the patent of Killigrew*. 1662 Charles II* marries a Portuguese princess, Catherine of Branganza, who does not

produce any children. This is apparently not Charles II*'s fault as the results of his many laisons with numerous mistresses shows.

In America by this time the population of Virginia is about 40,000. The number of African slaves is increasing because the southern plantations are labor intensive. A liberal charter is granted to Connecticut. There are now about 7,000 Dutch in the New Amsterdam area. This year, as part of the ongoing altercation with the Netherlands, the more populous English In America by this time the population of Virginia is about 40,000. The number of African slaves is increasing because the southern plantations are labor intensive. A liberal charter is granted to Connecticut. There are now about 7,000 Dutch in the New Amsterdam area. This year, as part of the ongoing altercation with the Netherlands, the more populous English

1663 - The German, Furttenbach* the elder publishes his final work containing information on theatrical production, Noble Mirror of Art*. This book has a terrific section on perspective scenery and "Four Different Methods of Lighting." Since all this theatre stuff is going on indoors, lighting has become very important. There are oil lamps, with mica reflectors behind them, fixed in brackets on the back of wings, on the overhead borders, behind a board shield as foot lights and, in a reflective tin box, as an area light for a throne or other spots needing highlighting.

1663 In France, that smart Minister of Finance, Colbert*, forms the American colony of New France, up in Canada, into a province and makes Quebec its capital. He also founds an artistic academy in Paris, the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres.

1663 The plague* (Bubonic), which has been active around Europe for some -64 years, reaches Holland in 1663-64. It gets pretty bad with 1,000 dying every week in Amsterdam alone. This is bad news since this part of Europe is a major import-export spot and the plague can travel all over from here. In the summer of 1664 England closes down trade with the Dutch in hopes of preventing the plague from reaching the British Isles.

1664 There is a comet this year, as the English gossip Pepys* tells us. This astronomical "sign" together with that plague in Holland makes the English nervous and they consider going to war with the Dutch. There is terrible weather this winter. Much too much rain and long, hard freezes.

1664 - In England we are beginning to get the earliest of those Restoration* comedies, Love in a Tub* by Geroge Etherege*. We also get a heroic tragedy, The Indian Queen*, by John Dryden* (1631-1700) .

In Dresden between now and 1667 they put up an opera house.