Shakespeare: General Q & A

Were women allowed on the Elizabethan stage?

No. Women were only allowed on stage after 1660, following the downfall of Cromwell's puritanical government. The first recorded female actor in England was Margaret Hughes, who played Desdemona in Thomas Killigrew's production of Othello.

How to cite this article:

Mabillard, Amanda. Shakespeare: General Q & A Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/faq/womenonstage.html>.

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