Restoration actresses were often treated no better than performing bears.
After years of suppression, Charles II reopened theatres and allowed women on stage for the first time.
Both in front of audiences and behind the curtain, they were horribly objectified and exploited.
Between each other, ambition and camaraderie mixed to produce both tight bonds and vicious rivalries.
An April de Angelis play coming to Cowan Studio at the Kenneth More Theatre in Ilford at the end of the month promises both laughs and tears.
Exploring this twisty dynamic from the women's point of view, Playhouse Creatures follows actresses sticking up for their rights and demanding better payment.
Performances will be 7.30 pm Thursday, May 23 through Saturday, May 25 with a signed matinee performance 3pm Saturday, May 25.
Tickets are £12 for adults and £11 for concessions. They can be purchased at the Kenneth More Theatre Box office at 020 8553 4466 and online at www.kmtheatre.co.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here