The London Theatres in the Elizabethan London

London: large population, place of political and economical Power

main centre of English intellectual life

centre for inland and overseas trade

rich merchants interested to open up new markets for England

theatre-going one of the favourite pastimes

public-theatres:

mixed audience

primary for the crowd

stood in the open around the stage

wealthier people sat in the distance in Lord's rooms or galleries

private playhouses:

in the walls of existing buildings

benches next to stage

smaller audience capacity

higher admission prices

3 Elizabethan audiences

1. genteel audience of the private theatres
2. plebeian audience
3. both mixed

typical Shakespeare's audience, plays were mostly written for this kind

theatrical tariffs designed for working-class audience

1605 160.000 people living in Westminster

16% of London's population went to theatre every week

the Swan could hold 3000 people

the Fortune and the Rose capacity of 2500

Rose daily visitors 1160-1250 people

private theatres capacity of 1000

prices:

public: a penny per person for standing place

+ 1 penny seats in a gallery

+ 1 penny comfortable seat in lords'rooms

private:           6 pennys

weekly wage of a workman 1601 84 pence

capacity of the Globe 2000 people

Origins of the Elizabethan Stage

churches searched for more effective way to teach the holy bible

10^th century short dramatic presentations of biblical scenes

12^th till 15^th short plays

first in Latin later in English (Miracle Plays)

later more complex plays

put in different locations of the church (called mansions or houses)

first placed in the church

organization and acting done by clergy, later guilds (craftsmen)

wooden boxes now outside of churches in a row or in a half-circle

each box an other scene and its own group of actors

most action took place in front of the mansions (playne)

pageant-method - mansions put on wheeled - wagons

rolled through the streets

audience stayed where they were

each pageant carried a two-storied wooden structure (4 vertical poles in each corner)

whole structure could be hidden from or presented to the audience's view

upper storey used for actions on the city walls or on a window

lower storey used for ground floor of a house or its rooms (normally kept open)

15^th and 16^th century Miracle Plays replaced by Morality Plays

taught a moral

abstract notions appeared on stage as persons (like Sin, Death, Knowledge)

Interludes popular

since 14^th century

consisted of short and witty dialogues (social, religious or political satire)

presented in temporary stages not in public places

other kind of stage also yards in large inns

u-shaped, 2 long walls opposite each other with a short wall linking them

2 pageants placed against on the walls in a distance

between them a small platform

this platform stage

became bigger "pit"

occupied by the audience

kind of neutral ground, depended on the actors what they used this for

2 pageants less important

later put on the opposite sides of the oblong Elizabethan stage

parted in 2 rows of several wooden structures, open or closed

representing city walls or storeys of houses but could changed into different functions

mostly presented on public places problem: how getting money from the audience?

enclosed places the audience had to pay entrance

other location: in bear gardens

The baiting of Bulls and Bears pop. Sport in England

animals attack each other and fight till death

arenas also used by actors

audience stood around the oval arena or sat down on the expensive galleries

in these theatres fruits, wine and ale were sold

Beginnings of Elizabethan public theatre

models for the public playhouses in London at end of 16^th and beginning 17^th century