Many actors and theater workers were forced to find other work during the Interregnum. Some joined traveling troupes of entertainers that performed in fairs and markets. Others went into hiding or even joined the military. A few actors, such as Edward Alleyn, were able to continue performing by obtaining special permission from Parliament.
The theaters remained closed even after the end of the Interregnum in 1660. This was due in part to the continued puritanical influence in England at the time. Puritans viewed theater as a sinful and immoral activity, and they were determined to keep it suppressed.
In 1660, Charles II was restored to the English throne. Charles was a great patron of the theater, and he soon helped to revive the English theater industry. He granted patents to two acting companies, the King's Company and the Duke's Company, and these companies built new theaters in London.
The reopening of the theaters led to a new era of prosperity for English theater. Playwrights such as William Shakespeare, John Dryden, and William Congreve all wrote new plays during this time, and the English theater once again became one of the most popular forms of entertainment in England.