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How did the Licensing Act of 1737 affect Henry Fielding's career in the theatre?

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comedy Poster for the Federal Theatre Project presentation of *The Path of Flowers*, a farce-comedy play written by Valentin Kataev (or Katayev) at the Experimental Theatre in New York City, between 1936-41.

The Licensing Act of 1737 effectively ended Henry Fielding’s career as a playwright. Fielding had frequently used his stage works to satirize political corruption, most notably in his play Historical Register, For the Year 1736, which featured a thinly veiled and merciless ridicule of the prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole.1

In response to this persistent political satire, Walpole pushed the Licensing Act through Parliament. The act mandated that all new plays receive approval and a license from the lord chamberlain before they could be performed. By restricting the stage in this manner, the legislation forced Fielding to abandon drama and seek other professional avenues, leading him to pursue a career in law and turn his creative focus toward journalism and the development of the novel.123