Repertory
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Of the lively anti full programs offered by the London tlreatres in
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second quarter of the century, a significant aspect is tire infitsion of no
in the total number of new p
of drama and a remarkable
ty
Before examining these new kinds of dramatic entertainment, it will
helpful to recall in liriefest outline a span of tlreatrical liistory in of
to show some of tire reasons for tliis rejuvenation and development. A
the Restoration in 1660, several companies acted plays for tire first
or four years. Tire patents granted by Charles II established a monopo'
of two theatres tlrat continued uirtil 1682, when the two companies "C
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Drury
away fro
led a group o
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1695
In
un
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and two competing companies appeared from that year until
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only on
aga
D.uring the. next four y
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irregularly i.n
was active in London. Little wonder, in the absence of competition,
this company avoided producing new plays and omitted afterpiece
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enter
wlren Rich opened tire little tlreatre in Lincoln’s Inn Fields
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changed, in that Iroth companies began to produce
feature, i.e.j a program that consisted of a main play and an afterp1
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plays firr presentation. E١
a few n
together with
Emmett Avery has shown (in tire Introduction to Part 2), scarcely
en
customers could be found to support two tlreatres. The rveaker of
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two was the t,roupe at the new house; and to draw more patrons
Riclr changed the customary type or production, displacing the
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play and afterpiece by staging a short play of the kind used for afterp
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and following that by a pantomime. Famous players and close at
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to the teclrnical aspects of produ.ction kept the Drury Lane
attractive, though very few new plays were Irrouglrt out. In fact, \);\ [
Booth "often declared in public company, tlrat he and Iris par
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if he were not obliged to it, lie
money by nerv plays; and tlrat
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seldom give his consent to perform one of them. ”1.5 Booth could
127
pp
Drury Lane (Berkeley and Los Angeles
John Loftis, Steele
:
208
1780
Thomas Davies, Memoirs of the Life of David Garrick, I (London
.
cxxxviii