The law of reentry is a traditional rule in theatre that a character who leaves in one scene should not immediately appear in the next scene. Writer Bill Bryson describes it as "almost the only 'rule' in London theatre that was still faithfully followed" in the time of Shakespeare , though Shakespeare himself sometimes broke it . This, for instance, led in Richard II to John of Gaunt  making an "abrupt and awkward departure  purely to be able to take part in a vital scene that follows".
The law of reentry is a traditional rule in theatre that a character who is on stage at the end of one scene should not enter the stage at the beginning of the next scene. Writer Bill Bryson describes it as "almost the only 'rule' in London theatre that was still faithfully followed" in the time of Shakespeare . This, for instance, led to John of Gaunt in Richard II making an "abrupt and awkward departure in the middle of a scene purely to be able to take part in a vital scene that follows".
R
leaves in
is on stage at the end of
R
immediately appear in the
enter the stage at the beginning of the
D
, though Shakespeare himself sometimes broke it
D
in Richard II
A
in Richard II
A
in the middle of a scene