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Curtain Theatre
The Curtain
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The Curtain was used as a venue for Elizabethan plays, replacing
the Inn-yard venues. The purpose built Elizabethan Amphitheatres
in London such as the Curtain were used during the summer months
and transferred to the indoor playhouses during the winter.
It was called the "Curtain" because it was located near a plot of land
called Curtain Close, not because it had the sort of front curtain
associated with modern theatres. Elizabethan theatres had small
curtained enclosures at the back of their stages; but the large frontcurtained Proscenium stage did not appear in England till after the
Restoration.
The Curtain was the second London playhouse, next to the Theatre,
north of the London Wall. It had the same structure as the Theatre,
only slightly smaller, and at times the two were under the same
management. Between 1597 and 1598, the Curtain was the home of
the Chamberlain's Men, before they moved to the Globe in 1599. The
Curtain was used by many popular acting companies after the
Chamberlain's Men, including the Queen's Men (from 1603-1609),
and the Prince Charles' Company (after 1621), but there is no record
of the Curtain after 1627.
Curtain Theatre
The Curtain Theatre - Elizabethan Amphitheatre
• The Curtain Amphitheatre opened in 1577 in Curtain Close,
Finsbury Fields, Shoreditch, London.
• The Curtain was the second such public playhouse (after the
Theatre) to be built in London.
• Henry Lanman was a theatrical entrepreneur and was
responsible for its creation. Henry Lanman was also the Curtain
theatre's manager until 1592.
• A number of companies performed at the theater including the
Chamberlain's Men (William Shakespeare was known to have
played at the theater while his acting troupe was waiting for the
Globe to be built).
• The Curtain amphitheatre was in use from 1577 to 1622 when it
was closed by order of the Puritans.
Curtain Theatre
Description of The Theatre amphitheatre
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The Curtain was described as an Elizabethan Amphitheatre
which was octagonal or circular in shape having between 8 and
24 sides.
The open air arena of the amphitheatre was called the 'pit' or the
'yard'.
The stage of the amphitheatre projected halfway into the 'pit'.
The Curtain had a raised stage at one end which was surrounded
by three tiers of roofed galleries with balconies overlooking the
back of the stage.
Curtain Theatre
Facts and Information
Interesting general facts and information about the amphitheatre
venue such as the Curtain:
 Audience capacity of an Elizabethan amphitheatre was between
1500 and 3000
 Building materials used in the construction of early Elizabethan
Theatres were timber, nails, stone (flint), plaster with thatched
roofs
 The 'Box ' and the 'Box Office' - Playgoers put 1 penny in a box at
the Elizabethan theatre entrance. At the start of the play the
admission collectors put the boxes in a room backstage called the
box office!
 The Entrance to the theatre - Usually one main entrance. Some
later theatres had external staircases to access the galleries
Curtain Theatre
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The owners of the theatre were called the 'Housekeepers'
There was no heating in the Elizabethan Theatre. Plays were
performed in the summer months and transferred to the indoor
playhouses during the winter
Lighting in the Elizabethan Theatre - Natural lighting as plays
were produced in the afternoon. However there was some
artificial lighting mainly intended to provide atmosphere for night
scenes
Toilet Facilities? None . People relieved themselves outside.
Sewage was buried in pits or disposed of in the River Thames
Size of Elizabethan Theatre - Up to 100 feet in diameter
Shapes of the Elizabethan Theatres - Circular or Octagonal in
shape having between 8 and 24 sides
Curtain Theatre
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The height of the raised stage was 3 to 5 feet and supported by
large pillars or trestles
Stage dimensions varied from 20 foot wide 15 foot deep to 45
feet to 30 feet
Only very rich women, who often wore masks, or women of
dubious morals attended the amphitheatres
Musicians - Music was an extra effect added in the 1600's
A selection of ropes & rigging would allow for special effects,
such as flying or dramatic entries
The floor of the Stage was made of wood, sometimes covered
with rushes. Trap doors in the floor would enable some additional
special effects such as smoke
Curtain Theatre
Curtain Theatre circa 1600 print. Note: some authorities believe
this to be a depiction of The Theatre - the other Elizabethan
theatre in Shoreditch.
Curtain Theatre
'Curtain Road'