▁New ▁plays ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁be ▁submitted ▁to ▁the ▁Lord ▁Chamber lain ▁for ▁a ▁lic ence ▁before ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁performed , ▁and ▁theatre ▁own ers ▁could ▁be ▁pro sec uted ▁for ▁st aging ▁a ▁play ▁( or ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁play ) ▁that ▁had ▁not ▁received ▁prior ▁appro val . ▁A ▁lic ence , ▁once ▁granted , ▁could ▁be ▁also ▁with dra wn . ▁ ▁The ▁Lic ens ing ▁Act ▁ 1 7 3 7 ▁also ▁limited ▁spoken ▁drama ▁to ▁the ▁pat ent ▁the at res , ▁originally ▁only ▁the ▁Theatre ▁Royal , ▁Dr ury ▁Lane ▁and ▁Theatre ▁Royal , ▁Cov ent ▁Garden ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁The ▁regime ▁was ▁relax ed ▁slightly ▁by ▁the ▁The atr ical ▁Represent ations ▁Act ▁ 1 7 8 8 , ▁under ▁which ▁local ▁magistr ates ▁were ▁permitted ▁to ▁license ▁occas ional ▁performances ▁for ▁periods ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 6 0 ▁days . ▁ ▁The ▁The at res ▁Act ▁ 1 8 4 3 ▁restricted ▁the ▁powers ▁of ▁the ▁Lord ▁Chamber lain , ▁so ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁only ▁prohib it ▁the ▁performance ▁of ▁plays ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁of ▁the ▁opinion ▁that ▁" it ▁is ▁fitting ▁for ▁the ▁pres ervation ▁of ▁good ▁man ners , ▁decor um ▁or ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁peace ▁so ▁to ▁do ". ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁gave ▁additional ▁powers ▁to ▁local ▁authorities ▁to ▁license ▁the at res , ▁breaking ▁the ▁mon opol y ▁of ▁the ▁pat ent ▁the at res ▁and ▁encourag ing ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁popular ▁the atr ical ▁entertain ments , ▁such