Given below are two statements:
Statement I: The theatre was at a greater popularity in eighteenth century England.
Statement II: Theatre had court patronage in and around London.
In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct option is: Statement I is false, but statement II is true.

Let us analyze the two statements in their historical and literary contexts to understand why this option is correct:

1. Analysis of Statement I: "The theatre was at a greater popularity in eighteenth century England."
This statement is false. While theatre was certainly a part of urban social life, the 18th century is not considered the period of greater or peak popularity for English theatre. Instead, the 18th century is famous for the rise and dominance of the novel as the most popular and rapidly growing literary form. Furthermore, the theatrical environment was heavily suppressed and restricted by the Licensing Act of 1737, which established strict political censorship under the Lord Chamberlain and restricted spoken drama to only two patent theatres in London. This legal monopoly and censorship severely limited the growth, innovation, and general popularity of the theatre compared to the Elizabethan/Jacobean eras or the later Victorian era.

2. Analysis of Statement II: "Theatre had court patronage in and around London."
This statement is true. Ever since the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 under Charles II, theatre in London was defined by royal patents. The crown granted exclusive rights to specific theatre companies (such as the King's Company and the Duke's Company), and these patent theatres operated under the direct protection, regulation, and patronage of the royal court. The office of the Lord Chamberlain, a key official of the royal household, directly managed the licensing of plays, showing that theatre remained under royal court patronage in London during this period.