Why was Elizabethan theatre so successful Essay - 822 Words

Why was Elizabethan theatre so successful? One of the reasons that Elizabethan theatre was so successful was that it was enjoyed by the Queen. Elizabeth never visited the theatre herself, but was known to have invited companies of actors to perform for her at court, as is shown by this extract from government records in 1572: To the Lord Chamberlains players at Whitehall, 25 February 1572, for a play presented by them before Her Majesty on St Stephens Day. She was a very important patron of the theatre, even allowing one company to call themselves The Queens men. This meant that people would think that the theatre was not a bad thing as the ruler appointed by God supported it, and therefore they could not be doing†¦show more content†¦An attraction to the theatre was its cheap entry cost, for groundlings it only cost 1 penny, this meant that it was accessible to even the poorest Elizabethans. The theatre cost different amounts depending of where you wanted to be, the yard where everyone all stood together cost 1 penny, to sit cost 2 pennies and for a wealthy person to sit comfortably in a place where they could be seen by most of the people in the theatre cost only 3 pennies. The cheapness of this attracted people of all classes, the poor to see the wealthy and to have a cheapish day out, and the wealthy to show themselves and their riches off in front of everyone at the theatre. The theatre was very successful because it held attractions for a wide variety of people. To the rich it offered a chance to show off their wealth and to make contacts. If you were a young, single man, going to the theatre dressed in your finest clothes could attract the attention of a young woman to you, and to criminals the theatre was an easy place to pick pockets and steal other desirable items from people in the crowd. To all the chance to buy fruit, nuts, wine and beer was also an attractive proposition. Another attraction to the theatre was the actors, these men had difficult jobs, they had to learn their lines and queues in the evening, rehearse the play in the morning and then perform it in the afternoon, before going home to learn their lines to a new play. The actors had toShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare as the Greatest Genius in British Literature1014 Words   |  5 Pagesliterature. While best known as a dramatist, Shakespeare was also a distinguished poet. Shakespeares extraordinary gifts for complex poetic imagery, mixed metaphor, and intelligent puns, along with insight into human nature are the characteristics that created the legend he is today. 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Ev erybody and everything - much to the delight of the paying public and the disdain of the censor - was fair game. The subject – Jew, Moore etc. - is irrelevant, as the subjects themselves are simply the masks upon which the foil of disdain is playedRead MoreThe Origins Of Drama And Theatre2001 Words   |  9 PagesSmyth Senior Project - Background Paper 1 28 June 2014 The Origins of Drama and Theatre Theatre is an art that transcends time and builds a new world for the audience atop the stage. A play is defined as â€Å"a dramatic composition† or â€Å"the stage representation of an action or story† (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary). This refers to drama being performed live by actors on a stage. Ancient Greece is accredited to inventing theatre and drama. 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Ancient Greek theatre was not as open to civil human rights as we are today. Non-citizens were third-class peoples and women did not play as large a role in society as to what they do now. Although women did not play as largeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The London Theatre Records ( Bloom )2308 Words   |  10 Pagesexistence and activities are unknown, but countless stories speculate that Shakespeare poached deer from the estate of Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote near Stratford and earned a living as a schoolmaster or a soldier until his name emerged in the London theatre records (Bloom). He spent most of his t ime in London as an actor before he became a playwright, performing many of his own plays, as well as other playwrights, and is credited with revolutionizing the theater. In 1596, Shakespeare applied for his