The closure of theatres in the 17th century

In 1642 civil war broke out in England and theatres were closed to prevent public disorder. The theatres remained closed for 18 years, causing considerable hardship to professional theatre performers, managers and writers. Illegal performances were only sporadic and many public theatres were demolished.

The Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell, opposed theatrical performances and were at loggerheads with King Charles I who promoted theatre at his court. In 1632 William Prynne had lost his ear for denouncing dancing as a 'Devil's Mass' and women actors as 'notorious whores' in his book Histriomastix. This was seen as a personal attack on Queen Henrietta Maria who loved the theatre and often performed in masques.

However, Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans were less censorious about musical entertainment and tolerated occasional small-scale masques as the unavoidable trappings of government.

In 1656, William Davenant succeeded in producing 'The Siege of Rhodes' in his home in an all-sung version. He staged it with moveable scenery arranged in perspective, which was to prove highly influential.

According to legend, Davenant was the illegitimate son of William Shakespeare. He contributed to the last of the Stuart masques and was a fervent Royalist. After Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, Davenant and Thomas Killigrew were granted royal patents, which gave them virtual monopoly over presenting drama in London. These monopolies were not revoked until the 19th century.

Davenant opened the Duke's Theatre where he presented adaptations of Shakespeare's plays with music, forerunners of the semi-operas of Purcell. Most scholars consider that Davenant's 'The Siege of Rhodes' was the first English opera. It was performed in 1656 at Rutland House in London.

Davenant wrote the text but the score was the work of several different musicians. At this time, the theatres were closed and plays forbidden by law, although music was still played. It is possible that the entertainment was rather a way of getting round the law than an attempt to write a true opera.

This engraving depicts the 'Duke's House' (later Duke's Theatre) where the Duke of York's players performed from 1661. It was originally a tennis court, built in Lincoln's Inn Fields, which Sir William Davenant converted into a performance space.

It was at the Duke's Theatre that the first 'scenic' production of 'Hamlet' was staged, with Thomas Betterton as the Prince.

The picture gives us an idea of the interior of the theatre. A large, richly decorated proscenium frames the stage. Above is a small room with a curtained opening, presumably used by the musicians.

The actors are shown performing the 'The Empress of Morocco', presented at that theatre in 1673.