A Manifesto

This chapter argues that, adventurous though some productions have been, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s approach to this repertoire remains constrained by purist commitments to the printed text and a limiting concern with demonstrating the plays’ relevance to a consumerist and narcissistic present. An alternative path has been indicated by the RSC’s and the National’s adaptations of classic European drama from the same period. A more writer-led approach to Restoration Comedies will enable them to speak in novel ways to a wider range of current concerns and audiences.