These conditions made the 18th century the golden age of theatre. Vast auditoria were built in order to accommodate punters from different social backgrounds who enjoyed different sorts of entertainment. There was a growing interest in Shakespeare, albeit in radically altered productions (spoiler alert: neither King Lear nor Cordelia died in the productions of the 1700s). There were, meanwhile, new hits such as John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, and high demand for acrobats, tightrope walkers and the like.
Most importantly, this was the age that gave lifeblood to London’s West End. Despite the constraints imposed by the Licensing Act of 1737, which gave the Lord Chamberlain the final say on what did and what didn’t get produced – and remained in place until 1968 – theatre was given a new vigour by actor-managers such as David Garrick, who embodied a new populism and ushered in a radical acting style that was more realistic and less mannered.
Far be it from me to suggest that we should reintroduce cock-fighting or badger-baiting into the ecology of post-pandemic live events. But there was a pragmatism in the spirit of the British under the Hanoverians, and we in 2021 could all be inspired by it. Despite the gloom that has descended on the industry I love, I feel optimistic for the future of theatre. It will emerge from the fog of the past year leaner, but (I hope) with a renewed sense of purpose, and a clear vision of what is important.
Westeros may seem like a world away from what, to many people, the West End should be about, but popular spectacles such as this should not be faulted. They are going to play a crucial part in London’s recovery – and that of the world of theatre beyond it.
For details of Doctor Who: Time Fracture, visit immersivedoctorwho.com. Game of Thrones will come to the West End in 2023
