EARLY RESTORATION DRAMA
During the
Commonwealth, dramatic activity was kept to a minimum and the theatres were
closed. Some commonwealth theatrical activity included William Davenant's "musical
entertainments" that he put on in his home. By staging them in his home
and calling them simply musical entertainments, he was able to get around some
of the restrictions. With the Restoration, people were able to break free from
the restraints of the Commonwealth and theatre was able to develop. Some of the
important developments in theatre were:
♦Actresses
onstage (instead of just little boys)
♦Enhanced scenic
design
♦Dominated by the
upper class
♦Sexually
suggestive dialogue and plots
SERIOUS DRAMA
Heroic tragedy: Known for "extraordinary characters who
undertook extraordinary deeds", with themes of love and honour.
Restoration tragedy: Italian influence, follows neoclassical rules, often
reworkings of Shakespearean plays.
COMEDY
Comedies of "humour" Influenced by Ben Jonson, characters have one
overshadowing trait
Comedies of Manners: The most popular form of Restoration drama,
influenced by Moliere, mocks upper class, language both witty and sexually
suggestive
Comedies of Intrigue: Romance and adventure, complicated plots
AUDIENCES
In the beginning
of Restoration drama, the audience was almost exclusively upper-class. They
would talk to one another, talk to the actors, eat, hire prostitutes, there
wasn't much that was off-limits. Since the plays dealt with the upper-class the
audiences were very familiar with the subjects of all the plays.
Find five differences between this Drama and Shakespeare's
