John Downes (prompter) - Roscius Anglicanus

Roscius Anglicanus

Downes wrote his history of the Restoration stage between his retirement and death. It was published in 1708, and has served as a valuable resource ever since. Unlike earlier historians of English theater, such as Gerard Langbaine and James Wright, Downes approached the topic as an experienced insider; his concerns are those of a practical person of business, and he provides information that would otherwise be lost, particularly in the details of theatrical practice. He provides cast lists for countless plays, information on the success or failure of many pieces, and incidental comments on his own preferences. His accuracy is sometimes open to question, particularly as regards casting for often-staged plays. Still, as Sidney Lee notes, his work along with two or three other memoirs, "is practically all to which we have to trust for our knowledge of the Restoration stage."