[a fool in paradise]

However, Commons leader Harriet Harman rebuked him, saying: "I seem to remember that in Shakespearean times, boys would play girls and girls would play boys and the whole point was trying work out which was which.

I thought women weren't in the theater at all (officially).

[Sherman Logan]

Harriet’s an idiot.

Women and girls were played by young boys.

Which sometimes resulted in a boy playing a girl who was pretending to be a boy.

But there was never any doubt in the mind of the audience as to the sex of the actor.

Only those salacious Frenchies allowed women on stage. As we all know, actresses are all whores. (Actually, at the time they pretty much were.)

Come to think of it, not all that much has changed in that regard.

[mojito]

However, Commons leader Harriet Harman rebuked him, saying: "I seem to remember that in Shakespearean times, boys would play girls and girls would play boys and the whole point was trying work out which was which.

You are correct, and this liberal MP is an ignoramus.

Men and boys played all women's roles because women were forbidden by law from appearing on the stage.

Women were not allowed perform on public stages until 1660.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

You're right — no female actors appeared on a stage in Shakespearean times.

Sometimes boy actors would play the role of girls, pretending to be boys. But, no actual girls were on stage.

Harman has probably confused her Shakespeare with British pantomime — which does feature a lot of cross-dressing (with actual female actors on stage too).