Theater of Shakespeare's Time
Terms
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- Shakespeare's Theater
- The Globe, previously known as The Theatre
- Globe description
- located in Southwark, original (The Theatre) built 1399 and burned down 1613
- Groundlings
- about half of ppl at theater stood around stage in the pit or yard and payed 1 cent
- Galleries
- Had roof over and cost about 2 cents to sit in with extra 1 cent for a cushion
- Theater Times
- Started about 2pm and lasted about 2 hours, wasn't at night because there was no sstage lights, only the sun
- Theater Differences from Today's Theater
- No scenery, rather told in dialogue; very few props; costumes many times were from the wrong period of time; no women in plays, so younger boys played the part
- Anachronism
- an error in time
- Trap Doors
- compartments in and under the stage to add effect
- Pit/Yard
- where groundlings stood, in Globe there was straw/nutshells rather than mud for flooring
- Balcony
- an area right above the stage that was also used for acting, especially to serve as a hill or high place
- Discovery Room
- Housed special scenes, when not in use blocked off by curtain; was right behind the stage
- Hell
- area underneath the stage which trapdoors went into
- Lord's Room
- Most expensive seat 6/7 cents, and was right above the balcony
- Heavens
- The ceiling, or roof covering the stage containing pulleys and ropes
- Tiring Room
- above the heavens; a dressing room for actors to change their attire
- Globe flags
- The normal flag pictured Hercules holding the globe, When play was going to happen: white for comedy, red for history, green for tradgedy
- Theater began where?
- Ancient Greece with troubadors, acting groups, and minstrels
- Vagrancy Laws
- caused problems w/actors because laws were against homeless and actors weren't considered to have jobs
- Puritans
- favkred King Henry VIII, wanted to purify church of anything fun or sinful (including singing and dancing)
- Patronage
- Nobility sponsored acting companies which gave actors money and employment and protected them against Vagrancy Laws
- James Burbage
- Came up with the first permanent theater and had one built and named it "The Theatre" (later to be known as the Globe); had sons Richard (actor)and Cuthbert (accountant)
- Advantages to a Permanent Theater
- encouraged a regular audience; offered steady income; acommodated large audience and offered storage space; supports larger cast w/pay; could hire ppl to write plays; could constantly improve facilities
- The Theatre
- built in Shoreditch, first permanent theater
- The Curtain
- 2nd theater opened by burbage with the acting company- The Lord Chamberlain's Men
- Giles Alan
- The landlord of The Theatre that would not renew the lease for the space in 1596
- Theaters of Shakespeare's Time Description
- octagonal/round, 1/2 entrances/exits, 3 stories high, thatched roof w/ open middle
- Officials worried about what associated with plays?
- Controlling the large crowd and the spread of the Plague
- Globe opens when?
- September 1599 after being moved by the Chamberlain's Men by hand to Southwark
- Outdoor Theaters of London
- The Swan, The Rose (then The Fortune Theatre), The Red Bull, The Hope, The Globe
- Indoor Theater of London
- Blackfriars
- The Admiral's Men
- Were most popular acting group managed by Philip Hendslow, performed at The Rose which changed to The Fortune Theatre
- The Earl of Worchester's Men
- Acting group that performed at the Red Bull
- Foul Papers
- The first/rough draft of a playwright filled with mistakes
- Fair Papers
- The final draft of a play that was copyed from the foul papers by a paid scribe
- Master of the Revels
- Was in charge of checking plays and censorship, then giving approval and gave licenses to perform
- What was Censored in Plays by the Master of the Revels?
- Treason (disloyalty to your country) and Sedition (plot to take over the government)
- Rehearsal Time
- About 2 weeks and actors expected to know about 70 plays at any given time (at least a 2 day notice was given)
- What was put into plays to keep the audiences attention?
- Romance, Battles, Swordfights, and no intermission
- Burbage dies
- 1597
- Chorus
- consisted of one person who introduced the play
- When were Theaters Closed
- Outbreaks of plague (major one in 1593-1594), During Lent (40 days before Easter)
- Christopher Marlow
- popular writer at the time but was killed in a tavern fight (shakespeare thought to be this man)
- Ben Johnson
- another famous Playwright of Shakespeare's time
- Famous Tradgedy Actors
- Richard Burbage and Edward Alleyn
- Famous Comedians
- Richard Tartlon and Will Kempe
- English Defeated the Spanish Armada
- 1588
- Queen Elizabeth's Reign
- 1558-1603
- First actor owned theater
- The Globe