After Charles I was overthrown during the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell banned theatre between 1642-1660 due to its association with the monarchy and his Puritan beliefs. When Charles II was restored as king in 1660, theatre needed to be revived as actors had dispersed during its ban. Thomas Killigrew and William Davenant were tasked with reviving theatre and opened new playhouses, with Davenant pioneering the use of scenery and staging innovations from Europe that made his productions more popular. Women also began performing on stage during this time as it had become acceptable based on European precedents.