The most obvious difference between theatre during the english renaissance and restoration theatre was that

The main difference between the two theaters was the appearance of women in the theater plays, in the restoration theaters, where the women acting were a fresh novelty that contrasted with the Renaissance theaters; where the role of women was taken by men disguised as women, or by children, and it was almost forbidden for women to act. There were great theater companies where there were only men, and just the change came with the Restoration Theater. In contrast, women in acting even behaved with the same freedom as men, and their way of acting on stage, came to be seen as a rebellion to classic gender roles, and also as a sign of empowerment, aimed at the women who were part of the public.