Establishing an Office of the Revels to control theatre was, ultimately, just one aspect of the government's interest in maintaining control over society. There was no particular value given to freedom of expression, except to the extent that it cultivated entertainment that would appeal to the ruling class. It is important to look at the circumstances in which mass communication occurred. The written word was not a major factor because literacy was relatively uncommon. Mass communication needed to be based on the spoken word and action. The primary location was the church. However, a close second was theatre. There was also mass communication within university settings, but the universities, in practice, were only open to a select few. Unbridled mass communication had a risk of spreading ideas that would question the value of monarchy and the belief in the divine right of kings. The following sections discuss several additional motivations for maintaining a close watch over theatre.

Preventing sedition

A goal was to prevent theatre from being an opportunity to attack the government. There was no rigid separation of church and state, and thus blasphemy fell into this same category. A desired outcome was that theatre not challenge or mock any aspect of the government's work. From a more operational perspective, the government did not want theatre to lead to riots with thousands of persons affected by the combination of a festive mood and stirred-up anti-establishment feelings. A play could, allowably, have a limited expression of ideas that were contrary to government policies. Plays did not need to fulfill a patriotic role that instilled and glorified the virtues of royal authority. Instead, it was acceptable to present views within a range that was generally compatible with an acceptance of the authority of state.

Maintaining foreign relations

Friendly foreign governments had ambassadors in London, and these persons were keenly aware of the theatre. There were complex interrelationships among the European powers and one did not want to upset a delicate balance. Nothing in a play could criticize an ally or denigrate any aspect of that country's business. In fact, a career in foreign diplomacy was considered a good background for the role of Master of the Revels. Inappropriate references to foreign countries were a major cause for censorship.

Public health

Large theatres in the London area could hold three thousand persons, and plays were by far the largest public gatherings. This posed a grave danger to public health. At the time, there was little insight into the cause of disease and prospects for immunity. The plague was prevalent in London during much of the peak time of theatre interest in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In the early 17th century, the government closely monitored the number of plague deaths per day. Beyond a certain cutoff number, theatres were closed as a public-health precaution.

Maintaining business productivity

For the common person seeking to attend a play, the only realistic option was a large open-air theatre. Plays there were offered during the daylight hours and, similarly, most occupations could be performed only during the daylight hours. (There were also indoor theatres with lamps for lighting, but these were much, much smaller and the admission cost was prohibitive for the working class.) Attendance at theatre therefore typically meant skipping work. It could also be interpreted as a form of labor action: one person going to theatre would likely encourage others to follow. There was a risk of economic damage if theatre grew uncontrollably, and members of the working class were no longer reliably present at their jobs.

Stopping moral decline

The festive atmosphere of the theatre encouraged straying from established social norms. The conventions that were challenged included social class distinctions, respect for authority, and the degree of interaction of men and women. Among the items considered a debauchery was mixed dancing. Public theatre (i.e., plays priced for the working class) was considered a low and vulgar type of event. Certainly not even Shakespeare's work was considered a high-minded intellectual pursuit as it is today.

Protecting actors from regional authorities

A license for a play meant that it could be performed in London, and potentially chosen for a court performance, that is, a performance at a palace for the entertainment of the royal family and invited guests. It also meant that the play could be performed anywhere in England, and a local authority outside London (e.g., a mayor) could not block a performance. Limiting local authority was particularly important because an unapproved theatre production could land the actors in prison. Local authorities did retain some control, such as constraining how long a company of actors could remain in a town, and where performances could occur. Local authorities could also negotiate with the company of actors to arrange for no performances to occur. This became particularly common with the growing popularity of Puritanism in some parts of England in the 1630s. In effect, a town would simply pay the actors to leave town without ever performing the play.

Directing theatre toward the court's taste

Even if the theatre and theatre-goers provided no challenge to government authority, the Office of the Revels still wished to have plays of a style and structure suited to the taste of the reigning monarch. Every company wanted to increase its prestige by playing at court. For this reason, many aspects of plays (e.g., plot, type of humor, acting style) were carefully selected to appeal to that one most important audience.

General abuse of power

Finally, one can take a more pessimistic stance toward the government's role. The government's authority was not effectively checked by a democratic process, and the government therefore had little reason to avoid extracting revenue from any type of successful commercial enterprise, regardless of fairness. A common practice was to choose as Master of the Revels someone politically well-connected, as a favor. That person could use the office to maximize his own income.

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