"
The day of Charles II's restoration and birthday was designated as
a day of thanksgiving when all were to participate in prayers and
the singing of psalms at some church or other suitable public
place.
Charles initiated the return of Sunday afternoon wrestling,
archery, music, and dancing. Theaters reopened with actresses
playing women's parts, an audience only in front of the stage
instead of around it, a drop curtain, and painted two-dimensional
scenery. Actresses were allowed pursuant to royal proclamation so
that plays should become "useful and instructive representations
of human life" rather than "harmless delights". Charles went to
plays regularly. Actresses were assumed to be mistresses of
patrons in return for their jobs, but one fourth were actually
chaste women married to actors. Comedies were the preferred plays.
Courtesans were sympathetically and even admirably treated in
plays, which mocked all restraints and glorified immorality with
the exception of pornography, which was banned. Bad actors were
hissed off the stage. Henry Purcell wrote religious music for
churches, ceremonial music for the English court, and theater
music for English opera. Opera made music a vehicle for human
emotions. The gentry sang to the lute and danced to string
instruments. Many owned and played musical instruments. Humble
people had folksongs and instruments like the pipe and tabor for
dancing.
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