2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Entr'acte Entertainment on the London Stage, 1660-1800
Project/Area Number |
18K12328
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Research Institution | Waseda University |
Principal Investigator |
三好 力 早稲田大学, 教育・総合科学学術院, 専任講師 (30780788)
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Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | Entr'acte / Restoration / 18th Century |
Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Loosely termed as the Garrick-Sheridan era, this last phase of the research project focuses on the period from the Licensing Act of 1737 to 1800. My research has thus far indicated that entr’acte performances gradually begin to fall out of favour during this period. The decline in entr’acte entertainment is closely linked with budget cut-backs on dancers in London theatres. John Rich, for instance, devoted approximately 25% of his performer budget to dancers at the Covent Garden Theatre in 1735-36, whereas by 1789-90 the same theatre only spent approximately 9.5% of the performer budget on dancers (Judith Milhous, ‘Reading Theatre History from Account Books’ in Players, Playwrights, Playhouses, p. 124). The waning of dance, and in turn the decline of entr’acte entertainment in general, is no doubt in large part due to the introduction of ballet d’action to London in the 1780s but I also argue that the concept of the “whole show” became less fashionable by the turn of the century.
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Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The project is progressing at an acceptable pace. However, due to the pandemic, I have not been able to go on research trips abroad to examine primary sources.
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Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The plan now is to finish writing my articles and to publish my findings.
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Causes of Carryover |
Due to the pandemic, research trips abroad was not possible.
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