Theatres Act 1968
Act of Parliament | |
Status: Current legislation | |
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Records of Parliamentary debate relating to the statute from Hansard, at TheyWorkForYou | |
Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Text of the Theatres Act 1968 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. |
The Theatres Act 1968 (c. 54) abolished stage censorship in the United Kingdom, receiving royal assent on 26 July 1968, after passing both Houses of Parliament.[1]
Since 1737, scripts had been licensed for performance by the
Theatre critic Kenneth Tynan, whilst working with Laurence Olivier as literary manager and Dramaturg of the National Theatre Company had been campaigning for liberalisation for many years. A prosecution had succeeded in 1966 against those responsible for producing Edward Bond's play Saved at the Royal Court and John Osborne's play A Patriot for Me, cut by the censor, was put on at the Royal Court with the theatre turning itself into a private members' club. The strong response to these causes célèbres helped lead to the abolition of theatre censorship in Great Britain.
References
- ^ "Theatres Act 1968". www.legislation.gov.uk
External links