Popular Entertainment Flashcards
True or false, entertainment reinforced and enhanced social structure
True
True or false, both the rich and the poor attended the theatre
True (however in different sections)
Why were strolling players banned from touring the country in 1572 (this was the early form of theatre as they would stop in towns to perform their plays to audiences)
Authorities feared it would encourage people to rebel like in Robin Hood (a common play) where the rich stole from the poor
Feared large crowds would help spread diseases like the plague
What year were strolling players banned (unless they had a license)
1572
Examples of theatre companies set up with financial support and patronage from wealthy nobles (once strolling players had been banned)
The Queen’s Men (1583)
The Lord Chamberlains’ Men (1594)
They toured the country with their ‘license’ and performed for the Queen and Royal Court
What was the first theatre built and what year
1576- ‘The Theatre’
True or false, by 1595 thousands of people attended the theatre every week in London
True
The first plays were performed by Bands of…
Strolling Players
Examples of theatres
The Theatre
The Globe
The Swan
Which key group of people opposed the theatre
Puritans
Shape of theatres
Round/ octagonal
One key playwright during Elizabeth’s reign
Shakespeare- many of his plays premiered at ‘The Globe’ which opened 1559
One key actor during Elizabeth’s reign
Thomas Pope
Why did the authorities oppose the theatre
Attracted beggars and pickpocketers
+ caused large spread of diseases
Why did Puritans oppose the theatre
Considered it ‘the work of the devil’
+ wasn’t written in the bible
Which entertainment was enjoyed by all classes
Theatre
Dancing
Cruel sports
How was rich entertainment different to the poor
Hawking, hunting and archery
All other entertainment (dancing, theatre, cruel sports) poor also enjoyed however on different level e.g poor had to stand in uncovered section
What was a common theme of plays that Bands of Strolling players perfomed
Robin Hood
However authorities didn’t like this as it encouraged the rich to steal from the poor
True or false, Elizabeth attended the theatre
True
She loved the theatre, especially Shakespeare’s plays
Puritans considered the theatre to be the ‘work of the…’
Devil
What was bear/ bull baiting
Bear/ bull chained to stake in middle of arena
Pack of dogs let onto it
Spectators bet which side would win/ how long dogs would survive for
What was cockfighting
2 birds made to fight to death in cockfighting pits
Spectators bet which bird would win
True or false, the rich had lots of wealth and time to take part in lots of entertainment
True
(They didn’t need to work as much as they already had lots of money)
Was the theatre cheap or not
Yes
(Why it was also enjoyed by the poor)
What cruel sport featured as part of Elizabeth’s progresses
Bake baiting
Towns would put this on when she passed by as she really enjoyed it
What was hawking (only rich took part)
A falcon/ hawk sits on the trainer’s arm with a blind cap on
The blind cap is removed and they fly off to hunt and kill prey, then return
Bell attached to their ankle to be tracked
What was football like (for poor only)
Very rough sport with few rules
Games were played between villages over a large distance of space
Aim was to get ball and bring it back to your own village
Injuries common
Compare dancing for rich and poor (both took part)
Rich- pay musicians to play foreign tunes
Poor- take part in traditional country dances
One example of a bair baiting arena
The ‘Bear garden’ in Southwark, London
One example of a bair baiting arena
The ‘Bear garden’ in Southwark, London
True or false, Elizabeth supported bear baiting
True
It was made part of the royal progresses agenda
What was the price like to attend the theatre
Low
To encourage all social classes including the poor to attend
Which key actor performed the leading role in many of Shakespeares plays
Richard Burbage
