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''Bellamira: or, The Mistress'' is a comedy by Sir Charles Sedley, published in 1687, partly modelled on Terence's ''Eunuchus'' ==Stage History and reception== Ascertaining the exact number of performances of ''Bellamira'' presents some problems. It is a fact that ''Bellamira'' was performed by the United Company in the Drury Lane Theatre on 12 May 1687. ''Bellamira'' may also have been performed in the Dorset Garden Theatre. However, as it was a standard play, without fancy scenery or machinery, the Drury Lane Theatre is the most likely place of performance.〔Judith Milhous and Robert D. Hume, "Attribution Problems in English Drama, 1660–1700," ''Harvard Library Bulletin'', 31 (1983), 10.〕 According to ''The London Stage'', 12 May, however, may not be regarded as the première.〔See ''The London Stage 1660–1800'', ed. William Van Lennep, Vol. I, p. 358〕 It is uncertain how many performances followed in the season of 1687/88, and there may have been a revival of the play in the season of 1690/91.〔See John Downes, ''Roscius Anglicanus'', ed. Montague Summers (London,1928), p. 43〕 At least two sources testify that ''Bellamira'' was not a failure in spite of obvious criticism from parts of the audience. The first testimony is that of Thomas Shadwell, who, in his ''Tenth Satyr of Juvenal'' (1687), which is dedicated to Sedley, thanks Sir Charles for his patronage, adding: "Your late great obligation in giving me the advantage of your Comedy, call’d ''Bellamira'', or the ''Mistress'', has given me a fresh subject for my Thanks ... I am heartily glad that your Comedy (as I never doubted) found such success, that I never met with any Man of Sence but applauded it" (''The Complete Works of Thomas Shadwell'', ed. Montague Summers, Vol. V, p. 291). The phrase "advantage" here presumably means that Sedley offered Shadwell, a Whig out of favour and debarred from the theatre in the mid-1680s, the third night's income to support him. If this is correct, ''Bellamira'' was performed more often than two times.〔Shirley Strum Kenny, "The Publication of Plays," ''The London Theatre World, 1660–1800'', ed. Robert D. Hume (Carbondale and Edwardsville, 1980), p. 310.〕 The second source of the play's success is that it went into print within six weeks after the première.〔Judith Milhous and Robert D. Hume, "Dating Play Premières from Publication Data, 1660–1700," ''Harvard Library Bulletin'', 22 (1974), p. 390.〕 However, instant publication does not necessarily speak in favour of a play's success, since even prompt copies of unsuccessful plays were sent to the printer.〔See Kenny, "Publication of Plays," p. 315.〕 Evidence about the success of ''Bellamira'' is not consistent, however. In his Preface to ''Bellamira'', Sedley himself refers to a rather cool reception of his comedy. He seems to have attributed this to a latent element of obscenity. In Sedley's view, female spectators with their increasing demand for morals and manners on the stage, showed a particular dislike of this kind of lasciviousness in comedy.〔John Harrington Smith, "Shadwell, the Ladies, and the Change in Comedy," ''Modern Philology'', 46 (1948), 22–33; see also Robert D. Hume, "‘The Change in Comedy’: Cynical versus Exemplary Comedy on the London Stage, 1678–1693," ''Essays in Theatre'', 1 (1982), pp. 101–18.〕 Contemporary authors who spoke in favour of ''Bellamira'' again include Shadwell and George Etherege. Shadwell defended Bellamira from the charge of obscenity.〔''Works of Shadwell'', ed. Summers, Vol. V, p. 291.〕 Etherege, who served as diplomat at the Imperial Court in Ratisbon between 1685 and 1689 and was bored there, apparently found reading ''Bellamira'' a welcome change.〔''The Letters of Sir George Etherege'', ed. Frederick Bracher (London, 1974), p. 96.〕 ''Bellamira'' saw no further editions after 1687. This means that it cannot have been a smash hit. Nor does it occur in the list of the most successful plays between 1660 and 1747 which were still performed after 1900. And yet, ''Bellamira'' was adapted by Robin Chapman and broadcast on 18 March 1975 by Thames Television under the title "Way of the World: Bellamira".〔See J. L. Styan, ''Comedy in Performance'' (Cambridge, 1986), p. 258, and Retta M. Taney, ''Restoration Revivals on the British Stage (1944–1979). A Critical Survey'' (Boston and London, 1985).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bellamira (play)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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