Plays of Plays, By Plays, and For Plays:
The Self-Reflexive Drama of the 17^th and 18^th Centuries
by Taylor Gibson

This paper explores the self-reflexivity of restoration drama. The playwrights (frequently referred to as poets) use their medium to express a wide range of opinions; some supported the more open forum for their plays that now allowed them to explore subjects that would have been highly objectionable in the decades previous. Others viewed these changes as steps backwards for the form as whole. In both the subversive and social comedies, as well as the corrective satire, some characters discuss the subject matter of the plays that they have attended, while others chide the type of people who would even venture to be seen at plays of such a vulgar type. Such comments are frequently put in the foppish characters’ mouths and therefore the comments must be re-interpreted to understand the author’s true meaning. Other times, however, the commentary on the playhouses and the society surrounding it come from the more prudent characters and these opinions are more likely to coincide with those of the author. Throughout the plays of William Wycherley, John Vanbrugh, William Congreve, John Gay, and most notably Henry Fielding, self-reflexive commentary reveals the playwrights’ relative views on plays of the time and the society surrounding them.

Out of Sight:
An Examination of Love Relationships in the Restoration Performance
by Kathryn Waites

Playwrights, free to explore the inner workings of English life and striving to stimulate the audience, unveiled the complexity of love and sexual relationships between men and women.  An examination of these male/female interactions, from courting practices to surprisingly sexual moments, reveals scenes of “love making” that echo yet ultimately parody the typical amorous conventions of the day.  Paradoxically, private scenes and conversations between men and women were exposed in full view to an audience on the Restoration stage, which was otherwise naked of elaborate props or furniture.  Obviously this controversy signifies the fact that sexuality in these performances existed not only to mimic and mock the traditional dealings between the sexes, but also to provide moments of titillation and spectacle for the audience.  Consequently, as he distorts the contemporary rules of amorous conduct, the Restoration playwright presents a tension between two probable intents—satire or purely bawdy romp. The increasing criticism of explicit sexuality tightened the confines upon the Restoration stage, forcing playwrights to reform the exhibition of love making and specifically the visual representation of sexual interest in order to conceal flagrant eroticism from the spectator’s view.

"Let's Ramble:"
The Licensed Chaos of Masquerade in Restoration Theater-Going
by Sarah Guy

This paper examines the social subversion of masquerade as parallel to the chaos of Restoration theater-going itself. Theater-going in England’s Restoration period provided chaos and spectacle in an otherwise self-conscious and orderly society. The space of the theater itself represented a liminal place and time in which social hierarchy could potentially be subverted. Critics of the Restoration era condemned the moral laxity of the stage and of theater-going, but the immense popularity of the theater reveals the need people felt to participate in such a social subversion. The practice of masquerade was a key element in confusing gender and class, enhancing the chaos of the theater-going experience. Aphra Behn’s The Rover and George Farquhar’s The Beaux’ Stratagem each incorporate masquerade as a ritual element into their texts, demonstrating the effects of masquerade upon the social hierarchy within the plays. Though each play lauds the notion of the freedom offered by disguise, they both conclude that moments of masquerade ultimately return the characters to a strengthened social status quo.

Masks and Masquerading:
The Construction of Identity in Restoration Comedies
by Elise Gelinas

The tension between concealment and identity occurring throughout Restoration drama arises from the presence of masks and masquerading.  The purpose of a mask extends beyond revealing or concealing; it constructs identity.  Since primal emotion can be feigned with a mask, actors of British drama in the 18^th century could artificially change their character’s persona.  The Country Wife, Love’s Last Shift, and The Relapse focus on how masks create deception.  These plays use masks, vizards, and personas as an extension of identity.  Depending on each character’s motivations, masking will produce either triumphant or damaging outcomes.