1. By: Cassie Fry and Danielle Johnston
Women in Theatre
By: Cassie Fry and Danielle Johnston

2. A Brief Background Restoration Theatre Political Background
: Charles I rules w/o Parliament
1642: Civil War begins
1649: King Charles beheaded
: The Commonwealth
: Reign of Charles II
1688: William and Mary take throne
Theatrical Background
Pre-Commonwealth court theatre
Court masques
Courtiers perform
Scenery
1633 William Prynne's treatise
1642: Theatres are closed
Commonwealth Theatre
Theatres closed/ disassembled
Actors - rogues
Drolls
Davenant's musicals
Italianate Scenery
The Siege of Rhodes
1660: Theatres open
Restoration of Theatre
Theatre as royal property
Master of Revels: reduced role
Permits to 2 London companies
William Davenant: Duke's Company
Thomas Killigrew: King's Company

3. Women off the Stage
Jeremy Collier’s A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage (London, 1698)
Collier was a churchman who contributed 5 books to the collection of anti-theatre works.
“Obscenity in any company is a rustic uncreditable talent; but among women it is particularly rude. Such talk would be very affrontive in conversation, and not to be endured by any lady of reputation. Whence then comes it to pass that those liberties which disoblige so much in conversation, should entertain upon the stage. Do women leave all the regards of decency and conscience behind them when they come to the play-house? Or does the place transform their inclinations, and turn their former aversions into pleasure? Or were their pretences to sobriety elsewhere nothing but hypocrisy and grimace? Such suppositions as these are all satire and invective; they are rude imputations upon the whole sex. To treat the ladies with such stuff is no better than taking their money to abuse them. It supposes their imagination vicious, and their memories ill furnished: that they are practiced in the language of the stews, and pleased with the scenes of brutishness. When at the same time the customs of education, and the laws of decency, are so very cautious, and reserved in regard to women; I say so very reserved, that it is almost a fault for them to understand they are ill used”

4. Women off the Stage
“Through their reiteration of the sensual pleasures of the stage, these works establish a dynamic of spectatorship which links the gaze inevitably with the sexuality not only of the object gazed upon but of the spectators themselves. Theatre thus becomes dangerous not merely as representation in itself but as representation before an audience. Through the medium of sight, theatre both excites the passions of viewers and encourages them to imitate the passions they see enacted before them. Ultimately, concerns of spectatorship underlie almost every argument against the immorality of the stage. This link between sight and sex becomes of primary importance with regard to the female spectator, whose gaze becomes the true source of anxiety for Jeremy Collier and his followers.” (Jean Marsden)

5. Women off the Stage Emerging influential female audience
Day to day running of theatre
Orange Sellers

6. Women on the Stage
Women’s first appearance on the English stage was in 1629.
Objection
Tolerance
Wanted
Video Women Stage Actresses (5:15)

7. Elizabeth Barry ( )
“Not handsome, her mouth opening most on the right side”
Unsuccessful at first
First actress to receive a benefit performance

8. Nell Gwyn (1650-1687) Started her career as an Orange Wench
Joined Killigrew’s Company in 1665.
Picked out by Dryden

9. Anne Bracegirdle (1674-1748) Trained for the stage at an early age.
Her infamous beauty got her and others into trouble.
Mistress or wife?
Video: Actresses and Mistresses (4:40)

10. Women Playwrights Mrs. Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
Mrs. Manly and Mrs. Susannah Centlivre
Women writers fought an uphill battle
Various tactics were open to women writers trying to cope with prejudice