Drama from 1660 - 1840

Catalog description

This course surveys drama from the Restoration through the Romantic period, and in so doing explores arguably the most tumultuous period of British and American Theater history. These years saw the reopening of the theaters in London in 1660 after their having been closed through two decades of Civil War and Puritan rule. They witnessed the introduction of actresses to the stage, the development of scenery and the modern drop-apron stage, the establishment of theatrical monopolies in 1660 and stringent censorship in 1737, and the gradual introduction, acceptance, and eventual celebration of the stage in America. Perhaps most importantly, they oversaw some of the best comedies and farces in the English language, the introduction of pantomime and the two-show evening, sustained experimentation with music and spectacle on stage, and the transformation of tragedy into a star vehicle for actors and actresses like David Garrick, Sarah Siddons, John Philip Kemble, and Edmund Kean. See the English Department's website at www.english.upenn.edu for a description of the current offerings.