The English Renaissance Theatre was also known as the Early Modern English Theatre or Elizabethan Theatre. It occurred during the Reformation and 1642 when they were discontinued. There were many types of plays ranging from mystery, tragedy, masques to morality most had a biblical themes. Soon came the establishment of permanent theatres after plays were forbidden in 1572 in an effort to contain the spread of the plague. With the construction of permanent theatres came regular performances as well as well known playwrights many of whom were well educated but some were not. This brought forth William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Johnson.
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The English Renaissance Theatre became a reality when it was first established by James Burbage, in Shoreditch in 1576. Next came the “Curtain Theatre (1577), the Rose (1587), the Swan (1595), the Globe (1599), the Fortune (1600), and the Red Bull (1604)( New World Encyclopedia)”. Once the theatre had a permanent abode it became a very profitable venture. The theatre was a unifying experience for all who attended. Both young and old rich and poor attended and enjoyed the dramas. It was a means to spread knowledge and morality to those who otherwise would not have had such exposure. It was mostly geared toward the rich but with their patronage they would not have been able to thrive in such a society. The public theatres were built to certain specifications most were round in shape and three stories high. Many were built of timber and plaster but this changed after one of the theatres burned down. “Usually built of timber, lath, and plaster and with thatched roofs, the early theater...
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...se they had a passion for it not to make money. This means that they truly believed in what they were writing, making it irreplaceable.
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The Restoration in England was an era ripe for the development of new ideas in the arts. The return of the Stuart monarchy under Charles II marked the end of eighteen years of almost dictatorial control by Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan parliament. Cromwell had campaigned actively to halt all theatrical activity. In the end, however, his laws were actually responsible for helping move England forward in theatrical history. Actors, under Cromwell's laws, were to be apprehended a rogues if they were caught "in the act" so to speak of performing their trade. Some left their careers and sought employment elsewhere. Most, however, remained undaunted by parliament's threats. Productions continued quietly in tennis courts, inns and private houses. Officials were bribed to keep silent their knowledge of violations. The theater in England had moved indoors as it had already done in France and Italy. Although the reasons for the move were different, the end result was the same. Up until this time plays had always been performed outdoors in the early afternoon. Performances traditionally relied on sunlight, natural scenery, and minimal set pieces that could be easily transported from one location to another. Indoor productions required something much more elaborate. The preliminary concepts of scenic design and lighting design began to form in England in the late 1650's. During the Restoration, as controls were lifted, technical theater began to flourish. Many early examples of modern stage techniques were born between 1660 and 1800, making the Restoration a significant era in the history of scenic design and lighting for the theater. The art of scenic design did not begin in England. As early as 1570 the Italians were giving elaborate opera performances in the ducal courts using perspective scenes and various types of stage machinery. The French mimicked the design ideas of the Italian's and gave them a name, la scene a l'italienne. (Southern 221) Although Cromwell had banned public theater, opera was still considered a lawful art form. In England, just prior to the Restoration, John Webb designed the scenery for William D'avenant's 'opera' production of The Siege of Rhodes.
Eighteenth century British theatre was perhaps the starting point that would evolve into modern theatre. Women started to be allowed on stage and acting techniques were beginning to change. Leading performers were like celebrities with a number of fans. Theatre was an intricate part of the social ladder. In the overall scheme of things the actors and actresses played an important part in making the theatre what it was. Without the performers there wouldn’t really be theatre, so in order to understand the eighteenth century British theatre the performers of that era need to be understood.
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Why was Elizabethan theatre so successful? One of the reasons that Elizabethan theatre was so successful was that it was enjoyed by the Queen. Elizabeth never visited the theatre herself, but was known to have invited companies of actors to perform for her at court, as is shown by this extract from government records in 1572: "To the Lord Chamberlain's players at Whitehall, 25 February 1572, for a play presented by them before Her Majesty on St Stephen's Day. " She was a very important patron of the theatre, even allowing one company to call themselves "The Queen's men". This meant that people would think that the theatre was not a bad thing as the ruler appointed by God supported it, and therefore they could not be doing wrong by following her example.
Russell Brown, J. 1995. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
middle of paper ... ... Over the next decade, attempts to revive performances were made but this edict practically closed theaters, marking the end of Elizabethan drama. Bibliography:..
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The name most associated with excellence in theatre is William Shakespeare. His plays, more than any other playwright, resonate through the ages. It may be safe to say that he has influenced more actors, directors, and playwrights than any thespian in the history of the stage. But what were his influences? During the Middle Ages theatre was dominated by morality, miracle, and mystery plays that were often staged by the church as a means to teach the illiterate masses about Christianity. It wasn’t until the early sixteenth century that Greek tragedy experienced a revival, in turn, inspiring a generation of renaissance playwrights.