After a traumatic month which included a bereavement, a stroke (followed by a fantastic recovery) and an attack of kidney stones, I'm now back on top and ready to go. So let's continue with our WS ABC and ACTORS' COMPANIES.
Since actors were equated a bit higher than vagabonds, doxies and prostitutes, during WS's time, they would band together to form actors' companies under the patronage of a lord or an important person in authority. The actors would invest in the company which then used this money to buy costumes and props as well as to pay the playwright. This meant that our Will received about six or seven pounds for each of his plays. (A pound then was worth at least 250 times of its current value.)
Shakespeare, who was a shareholder in the Globe theatre, noted this in Hamlet:
Hamlet: Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers...get me a
fellowship in a cry of players, sir?
Horatio: Half a share.
Hamlet: A whole one, I.
Those actors, usually about ten, who invested in the company were called 'full adventurers' or 'sharers.' A well-known sharer was John Heminge who became the business manager in the Lord Chamberlain's company and in 1623 was one of the two compilers of the First Folio. These sharers would then employ non-sharing actors - 'hirers' who were paid about six shillings a week. The sharers would also employ boy actors (i.e. before their voices had broken) to play the female parts as women were not allowed to act on the stage until after the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. (Much of the plot of Shakespeare in Love is based on this last fact.)
Leicester
One of the first actors' companies was the Earl of Leicester's Men. This company was established in 1572 and as the earl was Elizabeth I's favourite, she granted them a royal patent. James Burbage, the first real impresario, built the first purpose built theatre, called 'The Theatre' in Shoreditch, north of the City of London, in order to stage Leicester's productions. When the earl died in 1588, his company merged with Lord Strange's company.
Lord Strange
Lord Strange (Earl of Derby)'s company tended to tour the provinces and it is known that they performed in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1578. Perhaps this is where the fourteen year old WS caught the 'theatre bug'? They also performed at Burbage's Theatre as well as at the Rose Theatre, a theatre deliberately sited on the south bank of the Thames beyond the authority of the City Fathers. This company may have performed some of WS's early plays. When Lord Strange died in 1594, (theories that he was poisoned as a Catholic), the company left London for the provinces, although several of the actors may have remained behind to join the rival company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
Hunsdon
This last named company was the most important one during the late Elizabethan-Jacobin period. This company was founded by Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon (patron of Emilia Bassano-Lanier, 'the Dark Lady' of the Sonnets?) in 1564-7 and when he became the Lord Chamberlain, the company known as Hunsdon's Men acquired its new name, the Lord Chamber-lain's Men.
James I
When Elizabeth I was succeeded by James I in 1603, this company became the King's Men and continued to be the most important actors' company. It is recorded that WS was a shareholder in the company from at least 1595 and he continued to write (and act?) for them until he retired in about 1613. This company at first acted at Burbage's Theatre and then after 1599 it occupied the newly constructed Globe theatre on the south bank.
Site and plaque for Curtain Theatre, Shoreditch London
Its most famous actor was Richard Burbage, the son of the impresario. The King's Men performed one play a month at court on average and in 1608 bought the Blackfriars Theatre, a building with a roof (unlike the Globe) which enabled the actors to perform all year round. The King's Men continued to stage plays until they were forced to close down by Cromwell after the Civil War in 1649.
Howard
Another major actors' company was the Admiral's Men. This was founded in 1576-9 by Lord Howard who became the Lord High Admiral in 1585. Their most famous actor was Edward Alleyn (see previous blog) and the manager was Philip Henslowe (famous for the detailed theatre records he kept of this period.) The Admiral's Men went into decline when Alleyn retired in 1604 and was finally disbanded in 1631.
Next blog will start on the B's of this WS ABC and will be about Macbeth's buddy, Banquo.
Personal note: Thank you to all the readers who sent me messages of condolence or wishing me well (healthwise) during this last somewhat traumatic month.
wsdavidyoung@gmail.com
Since actors were equated a bit higher than vagabonds, doxies and prostitutes, during WS's time, they would band together to form actors' companies under the patronage of a lord or an important person in authority. The actors would invest in the company which then used this money to buy costumes and props as well as to pay the playwright. This meant that our Will received about six or seven pounds for each of his plays. (A pound then was worth at least 250 times of its current value.)
Shakespeare, who was a shareholder in the Globe theatre, noted this in Hamlet:
Hamlet: Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers...get me a
fellowship in a cry of players, sir?
Horatio: Half a share.
Hamlet: A whole one, I.
Those actors, usually about ten, who invested in the company were called 'full adventurers' or 'sharers.' A well-known sharer was John Heminge who became the business manager in the Lord Chamberlain's company and in 1623 was one of the two compilers of the First Folio. These sharers would then employ non-sharing actors - 'hirers' who were paid about six shillings a week. The sharers would also employ boy actors (i.e. before their voices had broken) to play the female parts as women were not allowed to act on the stage until after the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. (Much of the plot of Shakespeare in Love is based on this last fact.)
One of the first actors' companies was the Earl of Leicester's Men. This company was established in 1572 and as the earl was Elizabeth I's favourite, she granted them a royal patent. James Burbage, the first real impresario, built the first purpose built theatre, called 'The Theatre' in Shoreditch, north of the City of London, in order to stage Leicester's productions. When the earl died in 1588, his company merged with Lord Strange's company.
Lord Strange (Earl of Derby)'s company tended to tour the provinces and it is known that they performed in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1578. Perhaps this is where the fourteen year old WS caught the 'theatre bug'? They also performed at Burbage's Theatre as well as at the Rose Theatre, a theatre deliberately sited on the south bank of the Thames beyond the authority of the City Fathers. This company may have performed some of WS's early plays. When Lord Strange died in 1594, (theories that he was poisoned as a Catholic), the company left London for the provinces, although several of the actors may have remained behind to join the rival company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
This last named company was the most important one during the late Elizabethan-Jacobin period. This company was founded by Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon (patron of Emilia Bassano-Lanier, 'the Dark Lady' of the Sonnets?) in 1564-7 and when he became the Lord Chamberlain, the company known as Hunsdon's Men acquired its new name, the Lord Chamber-lain's Men.
When Elizabeth I was succeeded by James I in 1603, this company became the King's Men and continued to be the most important actors' company. It is recorded that WS was a shareholder in the company from at least 1595 and he continued to write (and act?) for them until he retired in about 1613. This company at first acted at Burbage's Theatre and then after 1599 it occupied the newly constructed Globe theatre on the south bank.
Its most famous actor was Richard Burbage, the son of the impresario. The King's Men performed one play a month at court on average and in 1608 bought the Blackfriars Theatre, a building with a roof (unlike the Globe) which enabled the actors to perform all year round. The King's Men continued to stage plays until they were forced to close down by Cromwell after the Civil War in 1649.
Howard
Another major actors' company was the Admiral's Men. This was founded in 1576-9 by Lord Howard who became the Lord High Admiral in 1585. Their most famous actor was Edward Alleyn (see previous blog) and the manager was Philip Henslowe (famous for the detailed theatre records he kept of this period.) The Admiral's Men went into decline when Alleyn retired in 1604 and was finally disbanded in 1631.
Next blog will start on the B's of this WS ABC and will be about Macbeth's buddy, Banquo.
Personal note: Thank you to all the readers who sent me messages of condolence or wishing me well (healthwise) during this last somewhat traumatic month.
wsdavidyoung@gmail.com
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