Why were theatres in the rougher parts of town at first London?

In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, theatres were often built in the rougher parts of town in London because those areas were outside the jurisdiction of the City of London. The City authorities were opposed to theatre because they saw it as a source of immorality and disorder, and they had the power to close down any theatre within the city limits. As a result, theatre companies were forced to set up in the suburbs, where they could operate outside the reach of the city's laws.

The most famous of these suburban theatres was the Globe, which was built in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain's Men, a theatre company that included William Shakespeare. The Globe was located in Southwark, a district south of the River Thames that was known for its brothels and other unsavory establishments. However, the Globe was also a popular destination for theatre-goers from all over London, who flocked to see Shakespeare's plays and those of other leading dramatists of the day.

In 1608, the Globe was burned down in a fire, but it was rebuilt the following year. The Globe continued to operate until 1642, when it was closed down by the Puritans, who saw theatre as a sinful and corrupting influence on society. After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, theatres were allowed to reopen, but they were now subject to strict licensing laws that were designed to prevent the kind of disorder that had been associated with the Elizabethan theatres. As a result, theatres were no longer built in the rougher parts of town, but instead in more respectable areas such as Covent Garden and Drury Lane.