Elizabethan Theatre

Evolution of Drama in the English Renaissance interludes – a brief dramatic entertainment that were written and staged by professionals and performed ether at court or in the homes of the upper class. From 1500-1580, school dramas, dramas written in universities and presented at schools, became popular. The popularities of these dramas would lead to the forming of boy’s companies and then eventually to professional adult companies.

Neoclassical Rules Decorum – Neoclassic ideal which meant that all dramatic character should behave in ways bases on their age, profession, sex, rank, and the like. Each character was expected to follow set behavior which was deemed appropriate. Verisimilitude – all drama was to be “true to life.” Such things as ghosts, apparitions and supernatural events were forbidden. At the same time, the neoclassicists concept of verisimilitude was not the kind of “realism” we find in modern drama. Neoclassicists defined genre – a French word meaning “type” or “category” – very narrowly. Tragedy dealt with royalty, comedy dealt with common people. Tragedy must be resolved calamitously, comedy must be resolved happily. The genres must never mix and the function of all drama was to teach a moral lesson. Time – required that the dramatic action in a place should not exceed 24 hours. Place – restricted the action of the place to one location Action – required one central story, involving a relatively small group of characters. This meant there could be no subplots

Neoclassical Rules Decorum – Neoclassic ideal which meant that all dramatic character should behave in ways bases on their age, profession, sex, rank, and the like. Each character was expected to follow set behavior which was deemed appropriate. Verisimilitude – all drama was to be “true to life.” Such things as ghosts, apparitions and supernatural events were forbidden. At the same time, the neoclassicists concept of verisimilitude was not the kind of “realism” we find in modern drama. Neoclassicists defined genre – a French word meaning “type” or “category” – very narrowly. Tragedy dealt with royalty, comedy dealt with common people. Tragedy must be resolved calamitously, comedy must be resolved happily. The genres must never mix and the function of all drama was to teach a moral lesson. Time – required that the dramatic action in a place should not exceed 24 hours. Place – restricted the action of the place to one location Action – required one central story, involving a relatively small group of characters. This meant there could be no subplots

Evolution of Drama in the English Renaissance Roman models served as the bases for a lot of early plays with themes like revenge-obsessed characters, violence onstage, and use of supernatural beings. English plays very rarely followed the neoclassic model of time, place and action

Elizabethan Theatre vs. the Neo Classics Included comic scenes in serious plays and serious moments in comedy Rather than tell one story, they often had parallel plots or subplots related to the main dramatic action. Presented violence onstage and filled their plays with supernatural characters. Popularized the soliloquies. Higher and lower characters mix Introduced the episodic structure.

Elizabethan Theatres

Elizabethan Theatres Public theatres began by using bear-baiting rings or inns adapted for performances.

Elizabethan Theatres Public theatres were build outside the city limits to the North and South of the city, across the Thames River. London City Fathers Opposed Theatre on moral grounds and forbade it in the city. This opposition was offset by the support of Queen Elizabeth, and members of the nobility who not only enjoyed the theatre but also supported it financially in many ways, including sponsoring companies and paying for performances at court or in large private homes.

Elizabethan Theatres

Elizabethan Theatres the Curtain (1577)

Elizabethan Theatres

Elizabethan Theatres the Rose (1587)

Elizabethan Theatres the Globe (1599)

Elizabethan Theatres the Globe (1599) Constructed in 1599 by Richard and Cuthbart Burbage Built for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Shakespeare’s company

Elizabethan Theatres Audience Seating Pit: on the house floor, around the stage for lower class spectators who stood for the entire production. Called Groundlings

Elizabethan Theatres Galleries: undivided and had bench seating Audience Seating Galleries: undivided and had bench seating

Elizabethan Theatres Companies were named after their patrons. Acting Companies Companies were named after their patrons. Companies usually had about 25 members.

Elizabethan Theatres Acting Companies Three categories of personal: 1. Shareholders: the elite members of the company, bought a percentage of ownership and received corresponding percentage of its profits.

Elizabethan Theatres Acting Companies Three categories of personal: 2. Hired Men or Hirelings: actors contracted for a specific period of time and for a specific salary. Usually played minor roles

Elizabethan Theatres Acting Companies Three categories of personal: 3. Apprentices – young performers training for the profession. Were assigned to shareholders and received room, board, training, and experience.

Elizabethan Theatres Acting Companies All parts played by men, teenage boys playing young girls. It was deemed immoral for a woman to appear on stage.

Elizabethan Theatres The Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Elizabethan Theatres The Lord Chamberlain’s Men Most famous of acting companies, featured playwright William Shakespeare, actor Richard Burbage and Will Kempe, a well known clown. Sponsored by Henry Carey, Lord Hundson, the Lord Chamberlain. In 1603 the troupe was taken under the protection of King James I and called the Kings Men.

Elizabethan Theatres Richard Burbage

Elizabethan Theatres Richard Burbage Played most of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters, including Hamlet, King Lear and Othello. Greatest Actor of Elizabethan Age Family built and owned most of the Theatres in London

Elizabethan Theatres Ben Johnson Champion the neoclassic principles in his own work Developed “a comedy of humours” in which each principle character had an excess of one trait, or “humor”

Elizabethan Theatres Volpone. By Ben Johnson

Elizabethan Theatres Christopher Marlowe

Elizabethan Theatres Christopher Marlowe A heavy influence on Shakespeare. He plays feature themes like; Exploration of personal tragedy of a King Tragedy and damnation of a human soul.

Elizabethan Theatres Christopher Marlowe Worked as government agent.

By Christopher Marlowe Elizabethan Theatres Doctor Faustus By Christopher Marlowe