History and Historiography / The Colonial Origins of the Dramatic Performances Control Act, 1876: A Page from Disraeli’s Diary of Oppression The now-forgotten Dramatic Performances Control Act of 1876 was passed by viceroy Lytton under the Prime Ministership of Benjamin Disraeli to specifically crush opposition to the colonial British rule in India. By Sandeep Balakrishna / 20 Jan 2022