Download English Renaissance Theatre

Lasted from the first tragedy
written in blank verse in 1561 to
1642 when theaters were shut
down by Parliament
Theatrical life was centered in London but there
were also touring companies throughout
England and Europe
Plays were performed in repertory
The same play was almost never performed
two days in a row and rarely even twice a
week
Instead, a company would have as many as
20 plays in rotation and would perform a
different play each night with the same
company of actors
Actors were only male
Young men between the ages of 10-20
played all of the female roles and were
apprentices in the company
Performers were working
class and were
considered just slightly
better than vagabonds
and wanderers
English Renaissance Theater Structures
Theatres from the period were three stories
high and with a large open area in the
center - the Pit
Wealthy patrons sat higher up and
commoners (poor people) could pay 1
penny to stand in the Pit
The people standing in the Pit were called
“Groundlings”
The first theatre was named
“Theatre”!
Other famous theatres:
The Globe Theatre – Shakespeare’s
Theatre
The Rose
The Curtain
The Red Bull
Going to the theatre was a part of daily life
Men and women both went, although
wealthy women sometimes wore masks to
hide their faces
Audiences shouted, threw fruit and tried to
climb on stage
Costumes were mostly
modern dress
Sets were very minimal
Because there was no
artificial lighting, plays
were performed in the
afternoon
Time and place were
communicated instead
through “verbal scene
painting” (i.e. describing
location, weather, time of
day)
Hamlet
BERNARDO
'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.
FRANCISCO
For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold,
And I am sick at heart.
Thomas Kyd – Wrote The Spanish Tragedy, the
most popular play of the era
Christopher Marlowe – Wrote Dr. Faustus, wrote a
book with criticized the bible which brought him
under suspicion of the court, killed in a bar fight
(paid government assassins?)
Ben Jonson – Also an actor, buddies with
Shakespeare, killed another actor in a duel , often
kicked out of court for bad behavior
Born April 23 1564 in Stratford-Upon Avon
Parents were initially wealthy and respected but
then fell on hard times
Shakespeare probably went to school (focusing on
Latin) until age 14 or 15
At 18, married Anne Hathaway who was 26 and
pregnant
Had three children: Susanna and twins Judith and
Hamnet
Moved to London and became an actor and
playwright (not much is known of his life for about 10
years)
In 1594, Shakespeare became a founding member,
actor, playwright and shareholder of the Lord
Chamberlain's Men (a theatre company)
Wrote 40 plays and was a favorite at court
Was a very good businessman and amassed wealth
and property
Died on April 23rd (his birthday) in 1616
7 years after his death, two of his actors publish his
plays
The rising Puritan movement was hostile toward
theatre, as they felt that entertainment was sinful
In 1642, The Parliament banned all plays to
“appease and avert the Wrath of God”
Theatres remained closed for 18 years, until the
monarchy was restored in 1660
The period that followed is called The Restoration
Many nobles fled to France during Puritan rule
and came back with sophisticated tastes