Public Theatres and Drama Companies during Elizabethan Times (UGC NET/ Unit I - Drama)

 

Public Theatres and Drama Companies during Elizabethan Times

The Elizabethan Age (1558–1603), named after Queen Elizabeth I, was the golden age of English drama. It witnessed the transformation of theatrical performance from temporary, makeshift stages in inn-yards to permanent public theatres and organized acting companies.

1. Rise of Public Theatres

Before permanent theatres were built, plays were performed in inn courtyards, noble households, or at festivals. The first purpose-built public theatre in England was The Theatre, constructed in 1576 by James Burbage in Shoreditch, London. Its success inspired the construction of several others:

·         The Curtain (1577) – near The Theatre, associated with early performances of Shakespeare.

·         The Rose (1587) – built by Philip Henslowe, on Bankside.

·         The Swan (1595) – famous for Johannes de Witt’s sketch of its interior.

·         The Globe (1599) – most closely associated with Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

·         The Fortune (1600) – a rectangular open-air theatre.

These were public theatres, open to a broad audience for an affordable fee (as low as a penny for standing in the yard). They were typically polygonal or circular in structure, with open roofs over the yard and a covered stage.

2. Audience and Social Composition

Elizabethan theatres attracted a diverse audience:

·         Groundlings – Commoners who stood in the yard for a penny.

·         Gentry and Nobility – Paid more for covered gallery seating.

·         Audiences ranged from apprentices to merchants, aristocrats, and sometimes foreign visitors.

Theatre was both entertainment and social commentary, often dealing with politics, morality, and human nature.

3. Drama Companies

Professional acting companies evolved from troupes of travelling players. Because of laws against vagrancy, companies had to be licensed and placed under the patronage of a nobleman. Prominent companies included:

·         The Lord Chamberlain’s Men – Shakespeare’s company, later renamed The King’s Men under James I.

·         The Admiral’s Men – Led by Edward Alleyn and managed by Philip Henslowe, often performing Marlowe’s plays.

·         The Queen’s Men – Formed by royal order in 1583, serving as a propaganda tool.

·         The Earl of Leicester’s Men – One of the earliest touring troupes.

These companies had a repertory system, performing different plays in rotation, and actors often specialized in certain roles.

4. Theatre Practices

·         No women acted on stage; female roles were played by boys.

·         Minimal scenery; emphasis on costumes and language to set scenes.

·         Playhouses operated in the afternoon, relying on natural light.

·         Many plays were printed as inexpensive quartos; others survived only in folios.

5. Impact on Literature

The Elizabethan public theatre created an environment for the flourishing of playwrights like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and Thomas Kyd. The competitive nature of drama companies led to a diversity of genres—history plays, tragedies, comedies, and romances.

MCQs (UGC NET Style)

1.      Which was the first permanent public theatre built in England?
a) The Globe
b) The Rose
c) The Theatre
d) The Curtain
Answer: c) The Theatre

2.      Who built The Rose theatre in 1587?
a) James Burbage
b) Philip Henslowe
c) Edward Alleyn
d) Richard Burbage
Answer: b) Philip Henslowe

3.      The Lord Chamberlain’s Men later became known as:
a) The Admiral’s Men
b) The King’s Men
c) The Queen’s Men
d) The Swan Players
Answer: b) The King’s Men

4.      In Elizabethan theatre, the term “groundlings” referred to:
a) Actors in minor roles
b) Playwrights’ apprentices
c) Audience members standing in the yard
d) Stagehands
Answer: c) Audience members standing in the yard

5.      Which Elizabethan theatre was famously associated with Shakespeare’s plays after 1599?
a) The Swan
b) The Globe
c) The Curtain
d) The Fortune
Answer: b) The Globe

PYQs (Based on UGC NET Pattern)

1.      (NET 2015) Match the following Elizabethan theatres with their founders:
i. The Theatre – 1. Philip Henslowe
ii. The Rose – 2. James Burbage
iii. The Globe – 3. Richard Burbage and associates
iv. The Fortune – 4. Edward Alleyn
Answer: i–2, ii–1, iii–3, iv–4

2.      (NET 2018) Which one of the following statements about Elizabethan drama companies is NOT correct?
a) They required noble patronage to perform legally.
b) They had a repertory system.
c) Women frequently acted in female roles.
d) Boys often played women’s parts.
Answer: c) Women frequently acted in female roles.

3.      (NET 2020) The term “public theatre” in Elizabethan times refers to:
a) Courtly drama performed for the monarch.
b) Open-air theatres accessible to paying public.
c) Amateur performances in villages.
d) Religious mystery plays in churches.
Answer: b) Open-air theatres accessible to paying public.

4.      (NET 2021) Identify the correct chronological order of the following Elizabethan theatres:
i. The Rose
ii. The Curtain
iii. The Globe
iv. The Swan
Answer: ii → i → iv → iii