Shakespeare was lucky. His company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, (later the King's Men after James I had succeeded Elizabeth I in 1603) used one of the best purpose-built theatres in London until its lease ran out in the winter of 1598. Then, according to the story, the actors and their supporters, took the theatre's main timbers in the middle of the night, and rowed them over from the north bank of the Thanes to the south where they reused them to build the Globe theatre. (More on this when I deal with the Globe.) The first Globe lasted until 29 June 1613 when it was accidentally burnt down during a performance of Henry VIII and its successor continued until 1642.
During the latter part of this period, smaller theatres were built - hall theatres. These attracted the wealthier classes and the poor 'groundlings' were excluded. Because these theatres were smaller, they gave the impression that the plays were being performed in private houses. The big advantage with these theatres was that they were entirely closed to the elements (London rain etc.) This also meant that plays could be performed during the winter. Another advantage was that external noises from the streets was excluded. (I remember watching Henry V at the Globe soon after it opened and the actors and audience had to contend with the sound of helicopters flying overhead etc.) These smaller theatres also used artificial lighting. During the winter, Shakespeare's company would move from the open Globe to the enclosed Blackfriars hall theatre.
The audiences paid at the 'box office,' i.e. they would drop their pennies into boxes made of clay which would be broken open later to extract the coins. (Hence the term, 'box office.') Groundlings, who had to stand in the open for the duration of the play paid one penny. If you wished to sit down on the benches around the inside perimeter, then you would have had to pay quite a lot more.
Modern performance of "Henry V" at the Globe today.
(author's photo).
There was also a certain element of risk (or risquee) going to see a play as the theatres tended to attract London's lowlife, such as prostitutes and cutpurses. You could buy fruit, nuts and drink and the whole atmosphere was quite boisterous. Despite this, the Jacobeans talked about going to 'hear' a play. They could hear all the various sound effects: guns and firecrackers for scenes of war, (the historical and Roman plays), blaring trumpets to to herald the king's appearance (Henry V and Henry VIII et al) as well as soft-string music for mysterious scenes such as those in The Tempest.
The plays were performed probably at a faster pace than they are today and there are records of Romeo and Juliet being "two hours traffic of our stage." There were few pauses and as one set of actors left the stage at the end of the scene, the next scene would follow immediately. Scenery as we know it today was virtually non-existent. This meant that one of the actors would simply come on stage and announce to the audience that they were now in Verona, Padua or Rome. Props as candles, books and letters were very general and there was little attempt to make any scene look 'accurate' in the modern sense.
Richard Burbage - the Elizabethan Kenneth Branagh
Playwrights worked closely in conjunction with their main actors. It is thought that the Globe's leading actor, Richard Burbage, had much of Hamlet, Lear and Othello written specifically for him. In contrast, the famous Elizabethan comedian, William Kempe probably had Shakespeare writing Constable Dogberry's part in Much Ado About Nothing with him in mind. In order to keep costs down, many actors 'doubled up' their roles. Therefore if an actor who was a soldier or minor character in one scene, would play a lord or messenger in another. as an example of this, Romeo and Juliet with its forty parts was played by sixteen actors.
Will Kempe - the great Elizabethan comedian
None of the actors was issued with a script. They were given their lines together with the cue-lines that came before their speeches on separate pieces of paper. This was to prevent actors being able to sell the complete text of the play to a rival company. This also helps to explain why we have no complete and original copies of WS's plays today.
To end on a bloody note: If an actor was to be killed on stage, a bladder of pig's blood was inserted in his jacket. When this was pierced with his enemy's sword, then the blood would realistically spurt from his wounds.
Next time: Edmund & Edgar from "King Lear."
For comments: wsdavidyoung@gmail.com
s
During the latter part of this period, smaller theatres were built - hall theatres. These attracted the wealthier classes and the poor 'groundlings' were excluded. Because these theatres were smaller, they gave the impression that the plays were being performed in private houses. The big advantage with these theatres was that they were entirely closed to the elements (London rain etc.) This also meant that plays could be performed during the winter. Another advantage was that external noises from the streets was excluded. (I remember watching Henry V at the Globe soon after it opened and the actors and audience had to contend with the sound of helicopters flying overhead etc.) These smaller theatres also used artificial lighting. During the winter, Shakespeare's company would move from the open Globe to the enclosed Blackfriars hall theatre.
The audiences paid at the 'box office,' i.e. they would drop their pennies into boxes made of clay which would be broken open later to extract the coins. (Hence the term, 'box office.') Groundlings, who had to stand in the open for the duration of the play paid one penny. If you wished to sit down on the benches around the inside perimeter, then you would have had to pay quite a lot more.
(author's photo).
There was also a certain element of risk (or risquee) going to see a play as the theatres tended to attract London's lowlife, such as prostitutes and cutpurses. You could buy fruit, nuts and drink and the whole atmosphere was quite boisterous. Despite this, the Jacobeans talked about going to 'hear' a play. They could hear all the various sound effects: guns and firecrackers for scenes of war, (the historical and Roman plays), blaring trumpets to to herald the king's appearance (Henry V and Henry VIII et al) as well as soft-string music for mysterious scenes such as those in The Tempest.
The plays were performed probably at a faster pace than they are today and there are records of Romeo and Juliet being "two hours traffic of our stage." There were few pauses and as one set of actors left the stage at the end of the scene, the next scene would follow immediately. Scenery as we know it today was virtually non-existent. This meant that one of the actors would simply come on stage and announce to the audience that they were now in Verona, Padua or Rome. Props as candles, books and letters were very general and there was little attempt to make any scene look 'accurate' in the modern sense.
Playwrights worked closely in conjunction with their main actors. It is thought that the Globe's leading actor, Richard Burbage, had much of Hamlet, Lear and Othello written specifically for him. In contrast, the famous Elizabethan comedian, William Kempe probably had Shakespeare writing Constable Dogberry's part in Much Ado About Nothing with him in mind. In order to keep costs down, many actors 'doubled up' their roles. Therefore if an actor who was a soldier or minor character in one scene, would play a lord or messenger in another. as an example of this, Romeo and Juliet with its forty parts was played by sixteen actors.
None of the actors was issued with a script. They were given their lines together with the cue-lines that came before their speeches on separate pieces of paper. This was to prevent actors being able to sell the complete text of the play to a rival company. This also helps to explain why we have no complete and original copies of WS's plays today.
To end on a bloody note: If an actor was to be killed on stage, a bladder of pig's blood was inserted in his jacket. When this was pierced with his enemy's sword, then the blood would realistically spurt from his wounds.
Next time: Edmund & Edgar from "King Lear."
For comments: wsdavidyoung@gmail.com
s
