Answer:
The Act for the Encouragement of Opera and Drama in London, also known as the Licensing Act of 1737, was a piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament in 1737. The act was intended to regulate the theatre industry in London by granting exclusive licenses to two companies, the Drury Lane Theatre and the Covent Garden Theatre, to present drama in the city.
The Licensing Act of 1737 was passed in response to concerns about the quality and morality of the theatre industry in London. At the time, there were many small, unlicensed theatres in the city, and the productions they presented were often of poor quality and controversial in nature. The act was intended to improve the quality of theatre in London by limiting the number of companies that were allowed to present drama, and requiring them to obtain a license from the government.
The act had a significant impact on the theatre industry in London, as it effectively established a monopoly on drama production by the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres. This led to a decline in the number of unlicensed theatres and a general improvement in the quality of productions, but also sparked controversy and debate about censorship and the role of government in the arts. The act was eventually repealed in 1968.
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