Elizabethan Theatre History
Interesting information about
the Elizabethan Theatre History during the life and times of
William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre
Elizabethan Theatre History
Elizabethan theatre history is fascinating.
How plays were first produced in the yards of inns - the Inn-yards. The
very first theatre and the development of the amphitheatre! The
Elizabethan Entrepreneurs ( the men with the ideas and the money!). The
building, design and construction of the Globe. The builders! The
location! The plays, the
playwrights, the politics and the propaganda all play an important part in
Elizabethan theatre history. The great success of the theatre and the part that the
Puritans played in its downfall - the ups and downs of Elizabethan theatre
history.
The history of the Elizabethan Theatre is a short
and turbulent one. The success and popularity
shown by Elizabethan theatre history during the life of
William Shakespeare is an outstanding success story for the theatrical
entrepreneurs of the era. The Elizabethan period saw the rise in the
popularity of theatres and during this time the staging of plays moved
from renovated inn-yards to the building of huge out door amphitheatres,
such as the Globe, which were used for the summer seasons and the building
or renovation of indoor theatres, used in the Winter seasons and by
royalty, called Playhouses. The Elizabethan Theatre history started
in 1576 and continued in England until the
Protestants came to power. By 1648 Elizabethan theatres and
playhouses were ordered to be pulled down, all actors to be seized and
whipped, and anyone caught attending a play to be fined five shillings -
but this was not the end of the Elizabethan theatre history!
Key Events in Elizabethan Theatre
History
The key events in Elizabethan Theatre history
are as follows:
-
In 1576 James
Burbage (father of the actor, Richard Burbage) started the
Elizabethan theatre history by obtaining a lease and
permission to build 'The Theatre' in Shoreditch, London.
-
The Lord
Chamberlain's Men use it from 1594 to 1596
-
Another open air
amphitheatre called The Curtain opens in 1577 at Finsbury
Fields, Shoreditch, London
-
In 1593
Elizabethan Theatres, including the Globe, close due to the
Bubonic Plague
-
The Lord
Chamberlain's Company (formally known as 'Lord Strange Men')
was formed in 1594
-
The first
document mentioning William Shakespeare in connection with
the 'Theatre' was made in 1595 March 15
-
From 1596 to
1597 London's authorities banned the public presentation of
plays within the city limits of London
-
The Globe
Theatre is opened on Bankside in 1599
-
The Bubonic
Plague (The Black Death) again ravages London killing 33,000
people - all Elizabethan theatres close again in 1603
-
Fire broke out
at the Globe Theatre - destroying the theatre in 1613. It
was re-built the following year on its original foundations
and this time the roof was tiled, not thatched
-
The English
Civil War beaks out in 1642 between the Parliamentarians
(Puritans) and the Royalists and on September 2 Parliament
issues an ordinance suppressing all stage plays
-
In 1644 tthe
Globe Theatre was demolished by the Puritans and its
landowner Sir Matthew Brend builds tenement houses on the
site
-
Even stricter
rules passed by the Puritans in 1647 restricting the staging
of plays
-
The Puritans
ordered all playhouses and theatres to be pulled down in
1648, all players to be seized and
whipped, and anyone caught attending a play to be fined five
shillings
-
The English
Civil War finally leads to the terrible execution of King
Charles I by the Parliamentarians
(Puritans) and in 1653 Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord
Protector of England. Cromwell dies in 1658 and the power of
the Puritans starts to decline
-
King Charles II
is restored to the throne of England in 1660 and the period
called the Restoration sees the opening of the theatres
again
-
Interesting information
and facts about Elizabethan Theatre History
Elizabethan Theatre History
Interesting Facts and information
about the development of the Elizabethan Theatre.
Additional details, facts and information about the Elizabethan Theatre can be accessed via the
Globe Theatre Sitemap.
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