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Elizabethan Theatre The English Renaissance 1570-1620.
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The theatre of England during the 1500s was dominated by the writing and plays of William Shakespeare. He is one of the most widely read and performed playwrights of all time. His plays are still studied and performed today, and many have been made into films.
The Renaissance • A period in history when many exciting and inspirational beliefs and works were created. • A time of new learning and ideas • Development of philosophy: questioning human individuality, intelligence and the meaning of life
A time of revival of classical art and philosophy • At this time England was a very proud and powerful nation • Queen Elizabeth I loved the theatre and supported it • Therefore the theatre of this time is called ‘Elizabethan Theatre”
Elizabethan Theatres • Theatres were commonly called ‘playhouses’ • The first playhouse was built by James Burbage in London in 1576 • This playhouse was called “The Theatre” • James Burbage’s son became a great Elizabethan actor
The playhouses were all wooden structures • They had circular walls • They had an open air centre called ‘the pit’ – this centre did not have a roof • The stage was raised
The stage was surrounded by audience on three sides • Behind the backstage wall was the backstage area • The backstage area was used for dressing rooms, scenery and special FX machinery
Playhouse stage with ‘the pit’ in front and levels of audience seating on three sides
Playhouse roofs were made of thatched straw and wood • Musicians played from the upper gallery or ‘musicians gallery’ • Scenery and props were usually self supporting and painted, as in medieval productions • But real props were such as furniture pieces were also used
Not Just For Plays!! • The actual stage was portable and was sometimes moved from the playhouse to use for ‘sporting events’ • These ‘sporting events’ involved the baiting and killing of animals!
Costumes • Actors wore the clothes that were in fashion at the time except for special types of non human characters, such as fairies • Even when actors were playing characters from another time in past history they wore the clothes of the current period • Costumes were beautiful, detailed and expensive
Elizabethan Acting Companies • Actors belonged to companies of ten to twenty men • Women were not allowed to act so males played all female roles! • Each company had its own manager • Each company also had patrons who supported them financially
The companies were professionally run to make money • Actors were very dedicated as this was their career, their profession for life • As well as acting skills they could also sing, dance and play musical instruments • Backstage crew and musicians were also paid for their work
The Hazards of Being an Elizabethan Actor • Life was not easy for the actors because many things could go wrong • Playhouses could burn down – they were made of wood and thatch! • In times of contagious diseases such as plague, the playhouses were closed to stop the spread of infection, so the actors had no way to earn a living
Winters were bitterly cold and playhouses did not have heating • Some companies toured their plays and performed outdoors • Audiences were often rough and rowdy, unlike the polite way in which theatre goers behave in theatres today • Audiences loved going to the playhouses because it was the most popular form of entertainment in Elizabethan England
The Bard – Shakespeare 1564 - 1616 • Born at Stratford-on-Avon in England • Shakespeare was considered a genius • He wrote more than 36 plays • His plays were renowned for their powerful language, their clever crafting and the depth of characterisation
Little is known about Shakespeare’s life • He was married at 18 to Anne Hathaway • They had three children: a daughter and twin sons. One of the twins, Hamnet, died in childhood • After his marriage he went to work as a playwright and actor in London
The Plays • Shakespeare wrote tragedies, comedies and histories • His plays dealt with deep human experiences that his audiences could relate to • The histories dealt with stories of past Kings, but were often written to please Queen Elizabeth I rather than being factual
Romeo and Juliet • One of his famous plays “Romeo and Juliet” is about two young innocent lovers torn apart by family conflict • Although it was written 400 years ago it still speaks to our modern audiences. It has been made into a number of films during the past 40 years and the one with Leonardo di Caprio was hugely successful
The language of the plays is poetic, often written in a poetry form called ‘iambic pentameter’ • The language is powerful with beautiful verse and poetry • Regardless of the poetry Shakespeare was able to keep the plays fast moving and exciting
The Comedies • The comedies were much more light hearted • More like some of the Commedia dell’arte plays, except that they were scripted, rather than improvised • The same themes were common: love, betrayal, mistaken identity
Modern Shakespeare Theatre Companies • There are many theatre companies in the 21st century who specialise in performing Shakespeare’s plays • Bell Shakespeare in Australia • Royal Shakespeare Company in England • Bell Shakespeare modernises the settings and the costumes but not the words
Measure For Measure – a comedy by Shakespeare – by Bell Shakespeare Co.
Shakespeare’s role • He was a stakeholder in “The Globe” playhouse which was built in 1599 • His plays were performed at “The Globe” to huge audiences though not as large as the ancient Greek audiences • He had his own theatre company called “The King’s Men” which was supported by the Lord Chamberlain’s men
Other Famous Elizabethan Playwrights Christopher Marlowe • He died at the age of 29 in rather mysterious circumstances, probably murdered • He wrote many plays though not as many as Shakespeare • His most famous play is “Doctor Faustus”; a play about a man who sells his soul to the devil. It is similar to the morality plays of the Middle Ages but much more finely crafted. • He also wrote plays much more like Shakespeare’s including history plays about past kings
Ben Jonson • He lived a troubled life like Marlowe • His comic plays included “Volpone” and “Every Man in His Humour” • These comic plays made fun of all types of people • Jonson also wrote special performances for the new Royal leaders called “Masques”. They were very elaborate and aimed at impressing Royalty
The End of Elizabethan Theatre • The quality of theatre declined • The emphasis became more on being spectacular • The new Puritan religion objected and saw theatre as sinful and a waste of money
Many inferior plays were being written and performed • These plays focused on violence and bloody death, and the Puritan government banned all plays • By the time of the English Civil War in 1642 all playhouses were closed down • This ban on theatre lasted for twenty years
