She Stoops to Conquer

Theatrical performance in 18th-century England was a rapidly-growing industry. During the Interregnum period of 1649-1660, theatres were closed by the Puritan Protectorate government. After the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660, theatres reopened and drama began to flourish again.

In the early 1700s, London’s population rapidly expanded and this new urban population was eager for entertainment. While there were previously only two theatres devoted to drama, many more theatres were built during this period. The Covent Garden theatre, where She Stoops to Conquer originally premiered, was built in 1732 and expanded so that it could seat 3,000 audience members by the end of the century. These new theatres were large enough to accommodate more impressive sets and visual effects, leading to innovations such as the invention of sliding painted flats for backdrops and the stage curtain. While audiences often talked and engaged with the performance, the theatres of the 18th century created more barriers between the actors and the audience. For example, theatre managers began having the stage be the only part of the building to remain lit during dramas and they ended the earlier practice of audience members sitting on the stage.

Theatre was a popular activity for all social classes during the 18th century, enjoyed by the lower classes and the aristocracy, often in the same spaces.