Legitimising London’s ‘Entertainment of the Stage’: 1737 – 1866

In 1662, two London theatres were alone in being able to legitimately present theatrical entertainments as holders of royal patents from the Crown. By the start of the eighteenth century, seditious performances were performed at new theatres emerging in the capital which prompted the passing of the 1737 Licensing Act, to take control of London’s stages. Authorised by the Lord Chamberlain, this licensed the two patent theatres (the Theatres Royal Drury Lane and Covent Garden) and prevented all others from featuring dialogue in their performances; thereby introducing the concept of theatrical legitimacy. As the years progressed, the 1752 Disorderly Houses Act was passed to legitimise entertainments’ venues for music and dancing by the local magistrates, thereby introducing a parallel licensing system. This gave the patent theatres an advantage over the minor theatres and other venues because only the 1737 Act allowed them to present the ‘regular’ or ‘national’ drama – being works by Shakespeare and other commonly performed playwrights at this time. This was deemed by scholars from the nineteenth century onwards to be legitimate drama.

This thesis presents an alternative definition of theatrical legitimacy as being solely judgeable on the legal status of the venue and what was performed there as opposed to the cultural application of the term. Whilst entertainments’ legislation was fixed and binding, this was not always reflected in the behaviour of venue proprietors or understood by the authorities responsible for enforcing it. This adds a complexity to the issue of state control of what was presented on stage in buildings bound by the stipulations of the law – especially as each Lord Chamberlain, magistrate or proprietor interpreted and applied the laws according to the extent to which they wished to uphold or break the law.

It continues its exploration of theatrical legitimacy via the 1843 Theatres Acts and two parliamentary Select Committees by investigating the development of music hall and the relationship between entertainments’ venues and the sale/consumption of alcohol on the premises; thereby, completing a comprehensive analysis of the licensing of London’s entertainment of the stage covering almost 130 years.