Curtain Call, or From the Master of Revels to the Lieutenant Général de Police: Theatre Censorship in London and Paris from 1660 to 1737 Open Access

Abstract

Curtain Call, or From the Master of Revels to the Lieutenant Général de Police:
Theatre Censorship in London and Paris from 1660 to 1737

By Marissa P. Lambert

The period from 1660 to 1737 saw significant changes in the way the legitimate theatres
of London and Paris were censored by the English and French governments. The theatres had
been officially or unofficially censored from centuries before, but it is between the foundings of
the royal theatres in London (1660) and Paris (1680) and the 1730s that the way in which the
government attempted to censor changed.

I show that administrative changes in the official censorship and theatrical regulation
account for the growing differences in the relative strength of theatrical censorship between
London and Paris. While the official place of the English censor declined, causing a weakness in
English censorship, the official place of the French censor remained constant, avoiding weakness
in French censorship. In fact, when the French government became occupied with matters of
succession in 1715, the French censor was able to increase his efficacy.

I have chosen 1660-1737 based on important dates in England that are roughly matched
in France. The beginning date was the Restoration of Charles II to the English throne after the
Cromwell Protectorate. One year later marked the beginning of Louis XIV's personal rule upon
the death of Cardinal-Minister Mazarin. The end date corresponds to the imposition of the
English Licensing Act of 1737, a last attempt to rein in unruly London theatres-a state of
theatrical disarray that one can clearly contrast with Paris.

The structural positions of the Master of Revels in London and the lieutenant général de
police (and in 1706, the police censor) in Paris were different from most other administrative
jobs in the eighteenth century. The positions were not terribly important to the everyday
functioning of government, but their products were very important politically and thus they were
subject to official oversight by important administrators who could apply a great deal of power.

Table of Contents

Chapter............................................................................Page

PROLOGUE: INTRODUCTION....................................................1

Act I: SETTING THE STAGE....................................................3

Act II: PRE-ROYAL THEATRE BACKSTORY.................................13

Act III: ENTER THE CENSOR, STAGE RIGHT...............................18

Act IV: ENTREZ LE CENSEUR, CÔTÉ COUR.................................31

Act V: RISING TENSION.........................................................41

Act VI: CLIMAX....................................................................54

Act VII: DENOUEMENT...........................................................67

BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................69

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	History
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, European Theater
Keyword	London theater censorship eighteenth century theatre censorship Master of Revels Lieutenant Général de Police Paris
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Miller, Judith, Emory University
Committee Members	Melton, James, Emory University Evenden, Michael, Emory University

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