1 he Licensing Act
The remarkable expansion of theatrical activity characterizing this
period was clrecked in 1737 and completely lialted in t747 by tire passage
of a law designed to limit production of legitimate drama to the two patent
Ironses and place the licensing of plays under the f,ord clramberlain. Conse-
quently, a brief account may be given of governmental intervention imnredi-
ately prior to 1737 and tire final incorporation of a licensing act into
statute law.
The story begins with Thomas Odell’s actions after George II had
approved a petition on 28 April 1730 to close Odell’s new tlreatre in Ayliffe
Street, Goodman’s Fields... According to the Post Boy of 30 April, Odell
appealed in person to the King on 29 April, only to be denied..
Fronr a
notice that Watson Nicholson quotes ftom the Coffee-House Morning Pott
of 24 September 1729, the King lrad given "Letters-Fatent” to Odell;
now he was withdrawing Royal approval... Odell proceeded to re-open Iris
theatre on II May (Daily Journal). Tire peculiar feature alrout these lrappen-
ings is that neither the I.ord chamberlain nor tire Master of the Revels is
mentioned in any of the reports; tire Lord Mayor’s objections and Odell's
petitioir went directly to the Throne. Now it may be that Odell was later
given permission to operate, but tire general opinioir in London was that
he was performing without any permission, and it is even nrore certain
that his successor Henry Giffard was producing plays without any Royal
sanction..? Iir fret, Watson Nicliolsoir states that in London the doubt was
ftequently expressed whetlrer the Crown prerogative itself extended so far
as to silence playhouse managers who were not Irolding privileges under
the Crown.os
٥٠ Grub St. Journal, 7 May, wliere tire reports from different newspapers arc quoted.
٥ Nicholson, The Struggle for ٥ Free Stage, p. 28.
٥٥ Ibid., pp. 25, 28.
٥7 p. j. Crean, “The Stage Licensing Act of 1737,” Modern Philology, XXXV (1937-38)1
2403 and see All Apology for tb
Lift of Mr. T. c.. Comedian Cvntiy
٥8 In 1735, when Parliament considered a proposal to regulate and restrain tile playhouse
Giffard issued several !,roadsides opposing the
؛
legislat'ion. One argued that in 173٥>
when petitioners attempted to close the first Goodman’s Fields house, Odell received on
opinion from “several of the most eminent lawyers” that he had “a Right by the Law of
the Land” to, give plays. See Nicholson, Struggle for ٥ Free Stage, p. 33.
xlviii