theater

Costumes and Stage Design

  • Costumes:

    • Actors received costumes or hand-me-down clothing from patrons associated with theater companies.
    • Some costumes featured nice fabrics to make performers look regal and keep them nice and presentable.

  • Stage Infrastructure:

    • The stage had a roof to protect the expensive costumes of actors from rain, as London weather could be harsh.
    • The yardlings (audience in the yard) could get wet, but performers needed to maintain their appearance.

Theatre Companies Structure

  • Company Patronage:

    • Theatre companies needed protection from the law, typically under aristocratic patrons like dukes, earls, kings, queens, and admirals.
    • Companies included names like Lord Chamberlain's Men, Admiral's Men, and Queen's Men, emphasizing patron protection.

  • Company Organization:

    • Companies operated on a sharing plan; patrons gained prestige rather than direct profit.
    • Key figures included major shareholders such as actors and directors.
    • Shakespeare was a shareholder in his company, receiving a share of profits, which allowed him to acquire property later in life.

  • Types of Performers:

    • Hirelings:
    • Actors contracted for a season at a set rate.
    • Apprentices:
    • Young boys trained to perform roles of young women, receiving room and board but no salary.
    • Common to have a seven-year apprenticeship, often needing to find additional sources for snacks or personal items due to lack of salary.

  • Gender in Performance:

    • No female performers in England during this period; roles of women were played by boys until after a few more reigns.
    • Performers often played multiple parts due to episodic play structure and large casts.

The Jacobean Period

  • Transition in Monarchy:

    • Following Queen Elizabeth I's death in 1603, James I became king, marking the Jacobean period (from Latin ‘Jacobus’ for James).
    • James I had a keen interest in witchcraft and linedages.

  • Literary Association:

    • Shakespeare (or another playwright) produced Macbeth, featuring a Scottish king's usurpation with witch elements, resonating with James I's interests.

Evolving Play Elements

  • Dramatic Forms and Balance:
    • Increased on-stage violence and a mix of comedic and serious elements, seen with characters like the porter in Macbeth or the gravedigger in Hamlet.
    • Plays typically ended on a heroic or tragic note replete with comic scenes to balance the seriousness.

The Masque

  • Definition and Characteristics:
    • The masque (spelled m-a-s-q-u-e) functions similarly to Italian intermezzi, featuring music, courtly praise, and mythological allegories.
    • Remarkable compositions by composers like Henry Purcell were created for these performances.

The Role of Post-Shakespearean Playwrights

  • John Webster:
    • Became leading playwright after Shakespeare's retirement, known for an unrestrained approach to violence in his works.

Dialect and Language Evolution

  • Historical Dialects:
    • English dialects evolved from Shakespeare's time to present, with contrasts like the BBC dialect and Cockney.
    • The pronunciation of English was significantly different in the Elizabethan era versus modern English.
    • An American writer noted that upper-class English of Shakespeare's time sounded similar to cartoonish accents rather than current dialects, explaining disparities in rhyme schemes.

The Globe Theatre and Original Pronunciation

  • Globe Theatre Re-creation:

    • Opened in 1994, the theatre emphasizes original practices in staging Shakespeare’s works.
    • 2004 marked the first performance in original pronunciation (Opie) during a production of Romeo and Juliet.

  • Significance of OP:

    • Original pronunciation brought an authentic historical context to the performance, enhancing audience engagement and comprehension.
    • David and Ben Crystal have explored how Mrs. Ice and pronunciation impact performance and audience understanding.

Examples of Original Pronunciation (OP)

  • Henry V Excerpt:

    • Modern pronunciation: "Oh for a muse of fire that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention…"
    • Original pronunciation: "Oh, for a muse of fire that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention…"

  • Rhymes and Puns:

    • Certain lines relied on phonetic similarities that are lost in modern English, resulting in different meaning (e.g., rhymes that once worked in OP do not in modern pronunciation).

  • Rhyme Example:

    • Romeo and Juliet example demonstrating puns based on different pronunciations (e.g., if loins pronounced closer to lines).

Impact of Original Pronunciation on Performance

  • Production Differences:

    • Performances in OP were noted to change the tempo and delivery of lines; actors found it faster and more dynamic than modern English reads.
    • OP alters character portrayals and enhances critical puns, broadening audience understanding and enjoyment.

  • Interaction with the Audience:

    • Performing in the Globe theatre—a space without modern lighting—implies a direct, interactive dynamic between actors and audiences, enhancing the experience of Shakespearean dialogue.

Transition to Spanish Golden Age

  • Period Context:
    • The Spanish Golden Age ran approximately from 1550 to 1650, contemporaneous with England but later than Italy's Renaissance.
    • Exploration of Spanish literature development will follow, contrasting with English theatre after Shakespeare.