Duke's Company was a theatre company chartered by King Charles II at the start of the Restoration era, 1660.
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18 Facts About Duke's Company
2.
The Duke's Company existed from 1660 to 1682, when it merged with the King's Company to form the United Company.
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3.
Duke's Company had the patronage of the King's younger brother Prince James, Duke of York and of Albany.
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4.
Duke's Company started at the old Salisbury Court Theatre, and occasionally used the Cockpit in Drury Lane.
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5.
Duke's Company acted some of the plays in the canon of John Fletcher and his collaborators.
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6.
The Duke's Company was driven to seek out new work by a new generation of writers, and to experiment with new forms and styles.
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7.
Duke's Company performed the plays of Davenant, John Dryden, Thomas Otway, George Etheredge, Thomas Shadwell and others; it produced Aphra Behn's plays from 1670 to 1682.
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8.
Duke's Company acted many translations and adaptations of French and other foreign plays; their 1662 production of Sir Samuel Tuke's The Adventures of Five Hours, a version of Calderon's comedy Los Empenos de Seis Horas, ran for thirteen straight performances and was the first great hit of Restoration drama.
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9.
The Duke's Company exploited the scenic capacities of the Dorset Garden Theatre to produce many of the Restoration spectaculars and the early operas and semi-operas that characterized the Restoration era.
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10.
From 1675 on, Elizabeth Barry acted with the Duke's Company and became recognized as one of the stars of the era.
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11.
Duke's Company worked with writers such as George Etheredge, John Dryden and Roger Boyle.
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12.
Duke's Company were granted exclusive rights to ten Shakespearean plays; Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, Henry VII and Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
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13.
The Duke's Company found themselves subject to Chamberlain's legislation because of the comic performer and renowned improvisor, Edward Angel.
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14.
Betterton, in the Dukes Duke's Company became one of the most famous actors of the Restoration period.
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15.
Duke's Company was Samuel and Elizabeth Pepys's favourite actor; "Duke's Company is called by us both, the best actor in the world.
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16.
Duke's Company is described as versatile actor, being able to play both villainous and comedic roles, however he did not play farce.
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17.
Betterton's most successful role in the Dukes Duke's Company was Hamlet, which he first played in the aftermath of Charles II's coronation in 1661.
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18.
Duke's Company worked very closely with contemporary playwrights of the time such as Aphra Behn and John Dryden, and very much encouraged the development of their new works.
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