Literature

Elizabethan theatre

n the earliest years of theatres, they were built outside the city limits, as they were not allowed within the city walls. In addition, this way the city governors had no jurisdiction over them. In 1576 the first theatre building was constructed. It was erected by James Burbage (father of Richard Burbage), and was aptly named "The Theatre". It was an enclosed wooden structure built in Finsbury Fields, outside London.

Main Features:

A typical Elizabethan unroofed public playhouse, firstly had a raised platform as a stage, and on three sides of this was a yard, an open area for standing audience members. Surrounding the stage and the yard were two or three gallery levels fully furnished with seats. Behind the stage was a back wall with 2 or 3 doors (or curtained doorways). These doorways provided the actors exits and entrances from backstage. A gallery, where musicians often sat, supported the back wall. Above this gallery was a tower, which acted as a storage area for machinery. From the top of this tower, a trumpet would signal a play's commencement and a flag would indicate that a performance was taking place.

The stage and its surroundings adopted the Spanish theatre's architectural backdrop. Above the stage was a canopy, on whose ceiling a blue sky with golden stars was painted. This canopy was suitably called the "heavens" and was supported by columns of classical design.

The stage:

The Elizabethan stage was an adaptation of medieval conventions. For example, the Elizabethan stage platform originated in the medieval unlocalized plateau, and the facade of the Elizabethan stage had evolved from the mansions of medieval religious drama.

The Elizabethan stage also made use of trapdoors in the stage platform, and machinery in the towers, which was used to lift and move performers. Props, like beds, thrones, and altars were not used to show a scene's locale but to simply aid the action.

Two kinds of acting companies existed during the Elizabethan era. These were adult companies and boys' choirs. The latter consisted of a group of choirboys who were conducted by a choirmaster (who received all profits).

They performed in court chapels.

The other company consisted mainly of 12 to 25 adult men. No women were allowed on stage, so young boys played the female roles. Many of the main actors were shareholders in the company and received a share of the profits.

As apprentices, young boys were apprenticed from the age of 10 years to a senior actor, who would train him in performance, provide him with toom and board and receive his apprentice's wage until he came of age and became an independent actor.

To survive, acting companies had to perform often to secure a constant income. They also had to have a large repertory of plays to perform, so as to keep the limited amount of audience members coming back.

All Elizabethan acting companies had to be under patronage of various nobles, otherwise they were referred to as "masterless men", classified as vagabonds or rogues.

Two main acting companies performed in London theatres, and these were the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the Admiral's Men.

Shakespeare was part of the Chamberlain's Men, whose patron was the Lord Chamberlain and who were run by Richard Burbage. The actors in this company owned shares within it as well as their playhouse and its properties.

The Admiral's men, patronaged by Sir Admiral and run by Alleyn, had no shares in their company. They paid rent for the use of a theatre to Henslowe, who also paid them salaries.

The audience members came from all walks of life: men and women, infants and adults. To enter the theatre, one penny was paid and the person was entitled to stand in the yard before the stage (and was referred to as grounding). An extra penny allowed them to sit in the first floor gallery and another penny another gallery higher. It is possible the amount of audience members reached into the thousands.

As performances were often three hours long, their behavior became very rowdy. Talking during dull moments, joviality and the selling of food added up to great commotion actors had to deal with!

Elizabethan costume fundamentally consisted of Elizabethan dress. No matter the period of the play, actors always wore contemporary costume. However, according to a character's racial or national stereotype, characteristic accessories would be added to the outfit. This included a breastplate and helmet for Roman soldier, a turban for a Turk, long robes for Eastern characters, gabardines for Jews and a dress for a Moor.

Costumes accounted for a majority of companies' expenses especially their maintenance. In Elizabethan theatre, processions, battles and celebrations were the order of the day and vibrant color and pageantry was exhibited.

The very well known Elizabethan playwrights were Shakespeare, Marlowe and Jonson. Others, somewhat lesser dramatists included John Fletcher and John Webster. For a playwright they often needed to sell between 4 or 5 plays a year. Once a company bought a play, it was that company's property and the playwright gained no further income.

The life of a play lasted between one and two years, depending on its popularity. A company learnt a new play about every 17 days, and after a play's main performance, it was later performed after a few weeks' intervals until they were dropped from the repertory.

At one stage, during a four-week period in the autumn of 1595, 15 different plays were performed. Plays were usually performed at 2pm, as it was not too warm yet there was sufficient light.