Restoration theatre

E97137
historical era of English drama theatrical period

Restoration theatre was a vibrant period of English drama following the monarchy’s return in 1660, marked by witty comedies of manners, the introduction of professional actresses, and elaborate staging.

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Observed surface forms (3)

Surface form Occurrences
English Restoration theatre 2
Restoration literature 2
Restoration comedy 1

Statements (56)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical era of English drama ⓘ
theatrical period ⓘ
country England ⓘ
followedBy 18th-century English theatre ⓘ
follows Caroline era theatre ⓘ
Interregnum theatre ban ⓘ
genre comedy of manners ⓘ
heroic tragedy ⓘ
tragicomedy ⓘ
hasCharacteristic audiences including both court and city spectators ⓘ
commercial, profit-driven theatre companies ⓘ
emphasis on wit over plot complexity ⓘ
focus on aristocratic society ⓘ
frequent prologues and epilogues ⓘ
star actor system ⓘ
strong focus on urban life ⓘ
use of rhymed couplets in heroic drama ⓘ
use of stock character types such as the rake and the fop ⓘ
hasInfluenced 18th-century sentimental comedy ⓘ
later English stage conventions ⓘ
modern comedy of manners ⓘ
hasPart Restoration comedy ⓘ
Restoration tragedy ⓘ
comedy of manners ⓘ
heroic drama ⓘ
inception Restoration of the monarchy in England ⓘ
language English ⓘ
mainLocation London, England ⓘ
surface form: London
notableActress Anne Bracegirdle NERFINISHED ⓘ
Elizabeth Barry ⓘ
Nell Gwyn ⓘ
notableFeature elaborate stage machinery ⓘ
indoor playhouses ⓘ
introduction of breeches roles for women ⓘ
moveable scenery ⓘ
patent theatre system ⓘ
professional actresses on the public stage ⓘ
satire of upper-class manners ⓘ
sexual frankness ⓘ
use of footlights and candle lighting ⓘ
use of proscenium arch stages ⓘ
witty dialogue ⓘ
notablePlaywright Aphra Behn ⓘ
George Etherege ⓘ
John Dryden ⓘ
Thomas Otway ⓘ
William Congreve ⓘ
William Wycherley ⓘ
notableTheatreBuilding Dorset Garden Theatre ⓘ
Theatre Royal Drury Lane ⓘ
surface form: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
notableTheatreCompany Duke’s Company ⓘ
surface form: Duke's Company

King’s Company ⓘ
surface form: King's Company
patron Charles II of England ⓘ
James II of England ⓘ
significantEvent reopening of public theatres in London ⓘ
startTime 1660 ⓘ

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lord Foppington → associatedWith → Restoration theatre ⓘ
this entity surface form: English Restoration theatre
Restoration → culturalMovement → Restoration theatre ⓘ
subject surface form: Restoration (England)
this entity surface form: Restoration comedy
Augustan literature → follows → Restoration theatre ⓘ
this entity surface form: Restoration literature
Lady Brute → literaryPeriod → Restoration theatre ⓘ
this entity surface form: Restoration literature
Rasor → literaryTradition → Restoration theatre ⓘ
this entity surface form: English Restoration theatre
The Confederacy → movement → Restoration theatre ⓘ