Dana responded: 'The inigo Jones productinos were largely at court for the court, and
should not be taken as typical of the London Playhouse atmosphere, where women were not generally seen on stage, and I suspect not in the pit either. Such women as frequented the Globe and other playhouses are likely to have been mistresses at best I would think.' Women were definitely not seen on stage at public playhouses at the time - the first professional actresses were seen at the Restoration - and a French company visiting in about 1630 (sorry I'd have to look up the exact date) were booed because they included actresses. The court stage was a different matter, although there were still those who disapproved of seeing women on the stage there too - her appearances on stage gave some ammunition to the many detractors of Henrietta-Maria. There were women in the audience at public theatres. While the theatre was an excellent business opportunity for 'working girls' it wasn't devoid of respectable women of all classes. I have come out of appreciative lurk-dom as theatre history is my area, although specifically the Restoration theatre, and spent many years working in the the theatre before taking the History path. Karen [1][email protected] -- References 1. mailto:[email protected] To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
