Restoration Reshaping: Shifting Forms, Genres and Conventions in Late 17th and Early 18th Century English Theatre

Restoration Reshaping explores English theatre between the reopening of the playhouses in 1660 and the Licencing Act of 1737, examining both the dramatic works and the social, political, and cultural contexts in which they were produced. Drawing on papers from two international symposia, the volume investigates a wide range of genres—from comedies of manners and heroic plays to musical dramas, pantomimes, and ballad operas—while highlighting innovations in stagecraft, adaptation, and performance practices. Contributors consider the theatre’s connections to politics, gender, and society, its transnational influences, and its ongoing relevance for modern theatre, offering a rich, multi-perspective resource for scholars, students, and theatre practitioners.