The Theater in the Victorian Age

[BettyO]

Quote:....reference is made to the theater being thought of by some as the "gates of hell." What made the theater such a place? Was it the the programs? Was it simply because the theater was secular?

In the early 19th Century, and on through the Victorian era, theatres were thought of as places of "ill repute." Actresses were thought of as being of "loose morals" because some wore tights; exposing their "limbs", and they thus strutted around on the stage. They were not classed as "proper ladies." Ladies were supposed to be the "Angels of the House"; i.e. they were to remain quietly in the background, very religious (it was their job to reinforcement religious feeling within their family and thus adhere the family together.) This was not to be done if they were publically darting about on stage. Lady actresses were making a public display of passion and emotion; something else which was looked down on. It was also thought that these "demimondes" of the stage were freely giving of their passions and persons to their fellow actors and others; indeed many did become the mistresses and paramours of many wealthy and influential men. Likewise, the handsome "leading men" were also free with their passions amongst the ladies within their cast as well as those who came to see them act.

In the 16th Century and earlier, the roles of ladies (such as Shakespeare's Juliet) were initially played by young boys. Nell Gwynn (mistress of Charles II of England, was one of the first actresses.)

It wasn't until the mid to late 17th Century that ladies appeared on stage in various roles in great part. One such was Sarah Siddons (1755-1831), an actress of great repute.

Thus the theatre was something which was frowned upon by the general population as a "sanctuary of sin."