Concetti Chiave
- The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to the reopening of London theatres, fostering a demand for lively and witty plays.
- Women were allowed on stage for the first time, offering new opportunities for dramatists previously unavailable to playwrights like Shakespeare.
- Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned by the king to design two new indoor playhouses, featuring separate stages and audience areas.
- New theatres used artificial lighting, enabling performances at night, and incorporated scenery on stage.
- Key playwrights of the era included George Etherege, William Wycherley, George Farquhar, and William Congreve, with Congreve's "The Way of the World" being a standout work.
Restoration of the monarchy and theatre
When the monarchy was restored in 1660 and the London theatres were reopened, people were eager for merriment, and the theatre offered plays which were alive, witty and full of subtleties. For the first time women were allowed on the stage, giving the dramatists an opportunity that had been denied to Shakespeare, who had had to limit the number of his women characters because their parts had to be played by boy actors.
Design of new playhouses
The king asked Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral, to design two new playhouses. The two new theatres were indoors. They were much smaller than Elizabethan theatres, and the stage, in particular, was similar to the type we see today, not the projecting stage of Elizabethans: in the new theatres the stage and the audience were separate. The plays could be performed at night thanks to artificial lightning, and scenery began to be used on the stage.
Popular playwrights and their works
The most popular kind of play was the They key authors were George Etherege, William Wycherley, George Farquhar, and William Congreve (1670-1729), the greatest of them all. Congreve’s plays are characterized by the very witty dislogues and perfect language; the best of them is The Way of the World (1700), which set very high standards for the elegance and refinement with which he handled the characters.
Domande da interrogazione
- How did the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 impact the theatre scene in London?
- What were the significant changes in theatre design during the Restoration period?
- Who were some of the prominent playwrights of the Restoration period, and what characterized their works?
The restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to the reopening of London theatres, which became venues for lively, witty plays. This period marked the first time women were allowed on stage, offering new opportunities for dramatists that were not available during Shakespeare's time.
Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to design two new indoor playhouses, which were smaller than Elizabethan theatres. These theatres featured a stage separate from the audience, allowing for performances at night with artificial lighting and the use of scenery.
Key playwrights included George Etherege, William Wycherley, George Farquhar, and William Congreve, with Congreve being the most notable. His plays, such as "The Way of the World," were known for their witty dialogues and refined language, setting high standards for elegance in character portrayal.
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