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=LETTERS OF EDWARD KYNASTON=

Dear Edward,

It’s the year 1699 and a lot has happened. This year you decided to retire from theatre and rest easy for a bit. You without a doubt had some amazing accomplishments being an actor, and you should be the utmost proud of yourself. Looking back, theatre was a great adventure that was very rewarding not only for yourself but for the audience as well. You started out acting as a female, because, at the time, women weren’t allowed to be on stage. You played female roles for years; however, when you turned about the age of twenty-three females were granted to be on stage. When theatres reopened, the king ruled for women to join the theatres.  Due to the fact that the king allowed female in theatre, your entire acting career began to change right before your eyes. You were a male playing female roles! You were famous for playing a women, and now actual females were allowed onstage! You were alarmed at this idea. However, you still played female roles up to a certain point in your lifetime. You played roles where you would be a male the entire show, but at the end the audience finds out that you were a woman the entire time. Also, the other way around as well, you once played a role where you were a woman for a part of the show and then they found out you were a man. You deciding to perform was the best decision you could’ve possibly made. Best, Edward Kynaston ______________________________________________________________________________

Dear Directors,

Thank you for allowing me to pursue my passion and help create your stories on stage. I’m so grateful for my experiences of each character I was granted to play. I started out playing female roles but slowly progressed into playing male roles when the time was right. A few of my male roles included: Roselli and/or Caraffa in John Ford’s Love’s Sacrifice, Otto in Fletcher’s Rollo, Duke of Normandy, Guymor in John Dryden’s The Indian Emperor, Peregrine in Ben Jonson’s Volpone. Volpone was about a man who was really a woman, and I was truly excited to have received that role because I got to show off both sides of myself. Similar to Volpone, when I performed in The Silent Women, I acted as a women and then later appeared to be a man. I was said to be one of the greatest crossdressing actors. I never thought I’d ever receive that title.  I believe I was seventeen when I began acting. I never would’ve believed that I was going to be in so many plays. I never would’ve believe to play male roles. When learning my male roles, I had to learn how to perform sexually with women. I had to be truly masculine. I played Harcourt in the Country Wife. It was quite interesting to play a Rake character. When it came to female characters, I played numerous roles. For example, I played the heroine Arthiopa in 1660 performing in Sir William Davenant’s tragedy of The Unfortunate Lovers. Also, from 1661 to 1662 I played Arthiopa once more. I played the role of Olympia in Fletcher’s The Loyal Subject. Along with Fletcher’s work, I also played the Princess in The Mad Lover. I just want to thank the directors that had faith in me to play the male character’s in your plays. You all took a chance on me, and I worked my hardest.

Best, Edward Kynaston ______________________________________________________________________________ Dear King Charles II,

 When you decided to let females perform, I thought my career was shattered. I had no idea what I was going to do. I must say, my world absolutely collapsed. I just kept thinking to myself, why- why did you have to end the ban on women? <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> I began to develop rivals because of females taking my roles, my roles! Mrs. Margaret Huges was the woman who I blamed for my downfall. I blamed you and her! Did you think I was a bad actor? I knew that I wasn’t, but I simply couldn’t understand why you didn't take a few seconds to think about what would happen to our careers. I was so frustrated for quite some time like I said I believe wholeheartedly that my career was shattered. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> However, my feelings slowly began to change. My former hairdresser contacted me about helping me out. Her name is Olivia D’Ambrosio. She came to a consensus within herself that she wanted to make me a true man and help out discovering my “destiny”. So, although you had put some difficulty in my career pathway your choice allowed me to develop new male and cross-dresser characters and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Thank you King Charles II, <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Edward Kynaston <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">______________________________________________________________________________ <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear to whomever may read this,

<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> When I learned that I had to play male roles, I was definitely in a state of shock. I thought I was not going to be able to perform to the best of my abilities. I must say that learning male roles we quite tricky for me- despite the fact that I’m a man. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">There’s a distinct difference between male and female roles. Consequently, I did have to learn how to become masculine. It sounds silly but it’s true. I had a certain “prettiness” when it came to female roles, so I had to find that masculine presence that, evidently, I did have. I ended up being chosen for roles based on the gender qualities that I had. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> It was often difficult to play a man on stage because I had such a vast reputation in playing a women. For instance, in Samuel Pepy’s diary he had said that I was the most beautiful woman on the London stage. But then again, I would have experience’s where a woman would join the theatre company I was in, King’s Company, so I would have to move to a secondary part instead. I was over it. I didn’t want people to keep taking my roles. So, I found my manliness through my voice. Vocal delivery was the utmost important. I knew was on the right track with my male roles because in 1665 I began to play leading male roles at the Covent Garden Theatre in London. All in all, I must say it was an interesting time in my life.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">P.S. I was the last male to ever play a female role.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Sincerely, <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Edward Kynaston <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">______________________________________________________________________________ <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear King’s Company,

<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your theatre company. I absolutely appreciate my time that I had spent with you all. I don’t recall the year that I had joined because my memory has faded a bit since I’ve retired from the stage. Yes, I don’t know if you know this or not but in 1699 I retired from acting. It was a few years after the King’s Company had died out. I believe the theatre company ended in year 1682. Yes, I performed a few years after that and retired at the age of fifty-eight. It broke my heart not being able to act anymore, but my memory and myself just couldn't handle it anymore. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">However, I can recall a few negative experiences in my time with the company. I remember the rival between our theatre company and the Duke’s company. We were very much so rivals I would say. I believe the tensions arose in year 1668 and ended in 1672. I’m sorry for I cannot say why there were such tensions, do you remember? <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Anyway, when I was in the King’s Company I had unfortunately gotten severely injured. Sadly, I was continuously beaten with sticks and was assaulted by multiple men. It was such a painful experience as I was covered in bruises. I ended up having to spend sometime in bed due to orders. I apologize because they had also informed me that I wasn’t going to be able to act for sometime. That time in my life was very difficult me: mentally and physically. I wanted to be on the stage with all my heart, but the agonizing pain wouldn’t allow me to step foot to act. I’m sorry again. I know that some people had blamed Sir Charles Sedley, but I honestly have no idea. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Lastly, I wanted to recall about my time on stage with you all. I was very proud and honored to be a part of such an amazing company. You all allowed me to take the stage as a lead role in numerous shows and that allowed me to discover new characters. However, when women joined the stage in 1660, I feel as if I was somewhat mistreated. I went from a strong lead in your shows to secondary and junior leads. I admit, my feelings were hurt because I was a proud member of the King’s Company. Later on, I went back to leads… but I just wish the females would’ve played the junior roles. They just joined and had leads- come on. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">King’s Company, please forgive me that I only remember so little and what I can recall is negative. I wish that the company was still up and running, but all good things have to come to an end at some point.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Thank you for everything you taught me, <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Edward Kynaston

= Theater in/and the News =

= = == =Welcome to "Theatre In/And the News," a Wiki about Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Theater Culture, created by students at the University of Maryland in ENGL 452, taught by Professor Laura Rosenthal. Each page describes one year through the lens of one journal or periodical, a play, and the theater season.=

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