Actors in the Elizabethan theatre were not well-paid and neither were they members of a respected profession. It was no coincidence that the 'Globe' and 'Rose' theatres were situated on the south bank of the River Thames near the "dodgy" areas of Elizabethan London, areas beyond the juristdiction of the City fathers. Actors were seen by the authorities as vagrants and troublemakers. Young Thomas Elizabethan did not come home and proudly tell his parents that he wished to become an actor. That is, not if he wanted to receive a thick ear from his irate father, or worse still, a thrashing.
Document proving that Shakespeare was himself an actor
Because of the sordid reputation (earned or not) that actors had, women were not allowed to appear on the stage until after the Restoration in 1660 when Charles II had returned to England after his European exile. This meant that the women's parts were played by young boys whose voices hadn't yet broken. Once this had happened, these young actors then played male parts or left the stage.
Document showing that Shakespeare was on the theatre's payroll as a dramatist
These young boy actors had to be very talented if they were to play such taxing roles as Lady Macbeth or major speaking roles as Cleopatra or Rosalind in As You Like It. This last role must have been extremely difficult for the boy chosen to play it. He had to play a woman, Rosalind, who disguises herself as a man, Ganymede. Ganymede then has to help Orlando (the man Rosalind is really in love with) practise his wooing techniques by pretending that he, Ganymede, is Rosalind. In short, the boy playing Rosalind has to pretend to be a man playing at being a woman.
In the 16th century, actors travelled from town to town looking for audiences to pay them and suitable places where they could put on their plays. There were no permanent purpose built theatres. It is possible that the arriving in Stratford-upon-Avon of a travelling acting company was the spark that lit WS's interest in the theatre.
Actors in a swordfight,. The (pig or sheep's) blood is in a small sack inside the actor-victim's shirt ready to be punctured.
Shakespeare's 'Globe' (Shakespeare's because he was one of the theatre's shareholders) was built in 1598/99 and Philip Henslowe's nearby 'Rose' theatre came into existence ten years earlier. James Burbage's 'Theatre' near Shoreditch was built in 1576 and its nearby rival, Henry Laneman's 'Curtain' was established the same year.
Picture showing how a decapitated head was shown on stage. Naturally the table would be covered to hide this theatrical trick.
The plays, which were usually shown at two o'clock in the afternoon were often crude and violent and the acting companies had to compete with other violent forms of entertainment such as bear-baiting. The 'Globe' and the 'Rose' were situated very near the bear-pit on the south bank.
The most famous and well-loved Elizabethan actor was Richard Tarlton. He was a member of the Queen's Men company and even wrote plays himself. He played in an early non-Shakespearean version of Henry V and also played the original Yorick in Hamlet. It was said that he had only to appear on the stage and not say or do anything to make the whole audience burst out into noisy applause.
Richard Tarlton
Edward Alleyn was another well-known actor who became so popular and rich that towards the end of his life he founded Dulwich College in south London. At some point later in his acting career he had a major dispute with Shakespeare's acting company. As a result he left to work in the rival Admiral's company based at the 'Rose' theatre.
Edward Alleyn
Another famous actor was William Kempe. He was one of the twenty-six 'Principall Actors' in WS's plays and like Tarlton also had a hand in writing plays as well, probably with another dramatist. From contemporary documents, we know that Kempe played Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and Peter in Romeo and Juliet. At one point he left England, but returned in 1601 after acting in Italy and Germany. One of his most famous feats was to dance all the way from Norwich to London.
William Kempe dancing, accompanied by drum and fife
The third most famous, but serious actor actor was WS's friend, Richard Burbage. Like Kempe, he was one of the original twenty-six 'Principall Actors' and he was the son of James Burbage, the owner-builder of the 'Theatre' near Shoreditch. It is said that WS had Richard Burbage in mind when he wrote the parts for Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Richard III, Hamlet, Othello and King Lear.
Richard Burbage
A popular story about Richard Burbage and WS says that one night Burbage saw WS leaving a young lady's house, a lady who Burbage himself was interested in. When Burbage accosted WS, the latter replied, "Don't you know your history? William (the Conqueror) comes before Richard (III)."
Because of the sordid reputation (earned or not) that actors had, women were not allowed to appear on the stage until after the Restoration in 1660 when Charles II had returned to England after his European exile. This meant that the women's parts were played by young boys whose voices hadn't yet broken. Once this had happened, these young actors then played male parts or left the stage.
These young boy actors had to be very talented if they were to play such taxing roles as Lady Macbeth or major speaking roles as Cleopatra or Rosalind in As You Like It. This last role must have been extremely difficult for the boy chosen to play it. He had to play a woman, Rosalind, who disguises herself as a man, Ganymede. Ganymede then has to help Orlando (the man Rosalind is really in love with) practise his wooing techniques by pretending that he, Ganymede, is Rosalind. In short, the boy playing Rosalind has to pretend to be a man playing at being a woman.
In the 16th century, actors travelled from town to town looking for audiences to pay them and suitable places where they could put on their plays. There were no permanent purpose built theatres. It is possible that the arriving in Stratford-upon-Avon of a travelling acting company was the spark that lit WS's interest in the theatre.
Shakespeare's 'Globe' (Shakespeare's because he was one of the theatre's shareholders) was built in 1598/99 and Philip Henslowe's nearby 'Rose' theatre came into existence ten years earlier. James Burbage's 'Theatre' near Shoreditch was built in 1576 and its nearby rival, Henry Laneman's 'Curtain' was established the same year.
The plays, which were usually shown at two o'clock in the afternoon were often crude and violent and the acting companies had to compete with other violent forms of entertainment such as bear-baiting. The 'Globe' and the 'Rose' were situated very near the bear-pit on the south bank.
The most famous and well-loved Elizabethan actor was Richard Tarlton. He was a member of the Queen's Men company and even wrote plays himself. He played in an early non-Shakespearean version of Henry V and also played the original Yorick in Hamlet. It was said that he had only to appear on the stage and not say or do anything to make the whole audience burst out into noisy applause.
Edward Alleyn was another well-known actor who became so popular and rich that towards the end of his life he founded Dulwich College in south London. At some point later in his acting career he had a major dispute with Shakespeare's acting company. As a result he left to work in the rival Admiral's company based at the 'Rose' theatre.
Another famous actor was William Kempe. He was one of the twenty-six 'Principall Actors' in WS's plays and like Tarlton also had a hand in writing plays as well, probably with another dramatist. From contemporary documents, we know that Kempe played Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and Peter in Romeo and Juliet. At one point he left England, but returned in 1601 after acting in Italy and Germany. One of his most famous feats was to dance all the way from Norwich to London.
The third most famous, but serious actor actor was WS's friend, Richard Burbage. Like Kempe, he was one of the original twenty-six 'Principall Actors' and he was the son of James Burbage, the owner-builder of the 'Theatre' near Shoreditch. It is said that WS had Richard Burbage in mind when he wrote the parts for Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Richard III, Hamlet, Othello and King Lear.
A popular story about Richard Burbage and WS says that one night Burbage saw WS leaving a young lady's house, a lady who Burbage himself was interested in. When Burbage accosted WS, the latter replied, "Don't you know your history? William (the Conqueror) comes before Richard (III)."
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