28. Masques

Question 1

What are masques? When? How cheap/expensive was it?

Answer 1

Important theatrical form during the reigns of James I and Charles I. It’s different from public theatre. It’s vastly expensive: elaborate stage designs, machineries, effects.

Question 2

What were masques for?

Answer 2

For court entertainment on special occasions.

Question 3

What can you say about Inigo Jones? Why is he an important figure? Who does he overshadow?

Answer 3

He’s a designer for the most successful masques, who studied architecture in Italy.
He brought a new architectural style to English theatre, f.e. picture frame in the background.
He overshadows Ben Jonson, who was writing texts for masques of James I reign.

Question 4

What happened to Shakespeare’s thrust stage? What replaced it? How fast? What does the other theatre replace it with (content is implied)?

Answer 4

The new style brought by Inigo Jones gradually replaces Shakespeare’s thrust stage. It has a simple moral representation, such as, for example, good defeating evil. It also creates a distance between the audience and actors. This style lasted for the next 3 centuries.

Question 5

When was Ben Jonson active with his texts for masques?

Answer 5

During the reign of James I.