A further relaxation of the rule esta blished by the stet. 10 Geo. II. c. 28, for the regulation of theatrical performances, was effected by the statute 28 Geo. IIL c. 30, in favour of places which could not be expected to bear the expense of a spe cial act of parliament. By this latter statute, the justices of the peace at gene ral or quarter sessions are authorized to license the performance of any such tra gedies, comedies, i uteri udes, operas, plays, or farces as are represented at the patent or licensed theatres in Westminster. or as have been submitted to the Lord Cham berlain, at any place within their juris diction not within 20 miles of London, Westminster, or Edinburgh, or 8 miles of any patent or licensed theatre, or 10 miles of the king's residence, or 14 miles of either of the universities of Oxford or Cambridge, or 2 miles of the outward limits of any place having peculiar juris diction.
These acts have been wholly or par tially repealed, except as to licences already granted, and theatres are now regulated by 6 & 7 Viet. c. 68, which provides that no person shall keep open any place for the public performance of stage-plays without the authority of let ters-patent, or a licence from the Lord Chamberlain, or the justices of the peace, under a penalty of a sum not exceeding 201. for every day such house shall have been kept open without li cence. The Lord Chamberlain is to
have authority to grant licences to the atres within the parliamentary bounda ries of London and Westminster, and the boroughs of Finsbury, Marylebone, the Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, and Southwark; also within New Windsor and Brighton, and wherever her Ma jesty may occasionally reside ; but no licence to be granted within Oxford or Cambridge, or within fourteen miles of the same, without the consent, of the chancellors or vice-chancellors of the same. For every such licence a fee is to be paid to the Lord Chamberlain, to be fixed by himself, according to a scale, but not to exceed 10s. for each calendar month during which the theatre is li censed to continue open : elsewhere the justices to grant licences. The licence to be granted to the actual manager, whose name and abode shall be printed on every play-bill, and who shall become bound, in not exceeding 5001., with two sureties not exceeding 1001. each, for observance of the rules in force, and for payment of penalties. Persons perform ing for hire in any unlicensed theatre, to forfeit, at the discretion of the jus tices, a sum not exceeding 51. for every day on which they offend. No addi tions to old plays, or alterations of epilogue or prologue, can be represented without the Lord Chamberlain's ap proval.