Elizabethan Theatre Flashcards
What were the galleries?
Seats under the roof, for upper classes
What was the Juliet balcony?
The most expensive seats in the theatre, for rich people who wanted to avoid the Plague from the working classes
What was the pit?
Standing area for working class people, often contained hecklers, drunk, and pickpockets
Open roof, unprotected from rain
Cheap tickets for 1p
What were Gentlemen’s Rooms?
Seats costing 4p, under the roof, for rich upper classes
What was acting like before theatres?
- Actors performed in communal spaces (inns)
- Small audiences
- Stories taken from the Bible
What was patronage?
Some theatre companies were given funding by nobility (who wanted to show off their culture and please Elizabeth)
Why were theatres useful to Elizabeth and her Privy Council?
They reduced the risk of rebellion by giving people entertainment / distraction
Who opposed theatres?
- Puritans
- Local London authorities
Name some theatres built during this time
- The Curtain
- The Rose
- The Globe
- The Swan
Who built the first permanent theatre?
Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester)
What could you do in the theatres?
- Socialise
- Purchase refreshments
- Business networking
- Show off wealth (seats)
How many theatres were there by the end of Elizabeth’s reign?
7 theatres
40 acting companies
What were strolling players?
Wandering groups of actors, very unpopular with authorities due to their non-religious themes
Authorities tried to ban them
What were the four main themes of plays put on in Elizabeth theatres?
- Subtle propaganda to flatter Elizabeth
- Great Chain of Being
- Tudor’s legacy
- Belief in witchcraft
Why did Puritans oppose the theatre?
- Distraction from God
- Promoted sinful habits such as drinking heavily and witchcraft
Why and how did the London authorities oppose the theatre?
4 points
- Considered travelling actors vagabonds
- Worried plays would incite rebellion
- Banned plays that addressed political issues
- By 1596, all plays within the City were banned
Why did the London authorities oppose strolling players?
- They were concerned that plays such as Robin Hood would incite rebellion
- Believed they spread the Plague
Why were Elizabethan theatres so popular?
5 reasons
- Pricing strategies
- No need to read or write
- Range of genres (comedies, tragedies, etc.)
- Elizabeth enjoyed and encouraged acting
- The nobility could show off their wealth
What were people who stood in the Pit known as?
Groundlings
Name 3 features of Elizabethan theatre
- Plays had to be performed in daylight
- Women not allowed to act
- Long speeches gave actors a chance to change clothes
- Lots of violence in Elizabethan plays
Why were theatres popular with the nobility?
Showed off their wealth by getting seats in the balconies
Patronage - showed off their wealth, importance, and culture
Name 3 Elizabethan playwrights
Shakespeare
Marlowe
Jonson
Why were theatres popular with poor people?
Cheap tickets
When the Elizabethan authorities banned theatres in London, how did theatre companies react?
- Theatres were built outside the City walls
- This area had a bad reputation for crime (pickpockets, brothels, etc.)
When did the Elizabethan government ban theatres in London?
1596
