Table of Contents
Who was the audience of Restoration theatre?
The socially diverse audiences included aristocrats, their servants and hangers-on and a major middle-class segment. They were attracted to the comedies by up-to-the-minute topical writing, crowded and bustling plots, introduction of the first professional actresses, and the rise of the first celebrity actors.
Why did the English audience of the Restoration period reject classical inspired plays?
English theatre during the Commonwealth Puritans were hostile toward theatre, as they felt that entertainment was sinful and that playwrights and actors were supporters of the crown and the nobility, so in 1642 Parliament banned the staging of plays in London. For the next eighteen years English theatres were closed.
What was theatre like in the Restoration?
The Restoration stage was a proscenium theatre with a deep forestage or apron which is the portion of the stage which extends forward of the proscenium arch. The proscenium itself is the part of a theatre stage that is in front of the curtain. There was a proscenium opening which framed the scenery.
What happened to English theatre during Restoration?
During the Restoration, semi-operas were rising. The design and architecture of the actual stage, as well as advances in stage machinery, gave way to a flourishing theatrical era in the 1660s. These advances allowed for more elaborate scene and set design, making even transformation scenes possible.
What was important about the theatre in Restoration England?
Therefore, the theatre was important as it allowed people to express themselves with freedom again. The response shows complex thinking by analysing the consequences of the theatre in the broader historical context (Charles II political power, new cultural freedom in Restoration England).
What makes the Restoration stage unique?
RESTORATION STAGE • The Restoration stage was a proscenium theatre with a deep forestage or apron. There was a proscenium opening which framed the scenery. The proscenium layout was very innovative for the time. Most of the action took place on the forestage.
What was the impact of Restoration on English literature?
Many typical literary forms of the modern world—including the novel, biography, history, travel writing, and journalism—gained confidence during the Restoration period, when new scientific discoveries and philosophical concepts as well as new social and economic conditions came into play.
What is the main characteristic of the literature of the Restoration age?
Restoration literature adopted the heroic – couplet as a poetic medium that is two iambic pentameter lines which rhymed together. Waller, who began to use it in 1623, is generally regarded as the father of the couplet. Later, Waller and Dryden made the couplet a literary fashion.
What was the main genre of Restoration literature?
Prose genres. Prose in the Restoration period is dominated by Christian religious writing, but the Restoration also saw the beginnings of two genres that would dominate later periods: fiction and journalism.
What are the main themes of Restoration comedies?
One of the major themes of restoration comedy is marriage and the game of love. But if marriage is a mirror of society, the couples in the plays show something very dark and sinister about order.
What is the purpose of Restoration comedy?
This form was later classed “old comedy” but is now known as restoration comedy because it coincided with Charles II’s return to England. The main goal of these comedies of manners was to mock or scrutinize society. This allowed the audience to laugh at themselves and society.
What was the impact of the restoration on English theatre?
One of the most significant innovations in Restoration theatre was the introduction of actresses on the English stage. Perhaps the most notorious female actor of the Restoration was Nell Gwynn, a member of Killigrew’s company, who also became the mistress of Charles II.
How did Charles II change the English theatre?
This led to a change in the literature of the period, with dramatic art that was either critical or cynic al, morally abandoned or seemingly obscene . Charles II however, was an enthusiastic patron of the theatre and helped to breathe new life into British drama after his restoration.
How did Puritans feel about theatre?
Puritans were hostile toward theatre, as they felt that entertainment was sinful and that playwrights and actors were supporters of the crown and the nobility, so in 1642 Parliament banned the staging of plays in London. For the next eighteen years English theatres were closed.
What did Thomas Betterton do for theatre?
Betterton was widely known for his performances in revivals of Elizabethan tragic drama. He married Mary Sanderson, an actress who had made her reputation playing Shakespearean roles and as a couple they were known for their encouragement and training of younger performers.