What would you need to know to put on a play in Shakespeare’s England? How does an understanding of the theatre culture of early modern London change your experience as a reader and spectator of Shakespeare’s plays? In this class, we will study the architecture and multipurpose use of playhouses, major playing companies and their association with particular venues, repertories, licenses, prop culture, actors’ skills, audiences, and censorship. By reading two monuments of the Shakespeare canon alongside two popular plays written by contemporary playwrights—one of which Shakespeare performed in, the other of which was playing in theatres at the same time as Hamlet— students will develop insights into the social, collaborative, and mobile environment of play-making in Shakespeare’s time. Finally, we will interrogate the two-way relationship between the material conditions of playhouse practice, and the writing, performance, and meaning-making of plays.
Readings
- William Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV
- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
- Ben Jonson, Every Man in His Humour
- John Marston, Antonio’s Revenge
Assessment
- Participation
- Group performance assignment
- Individual reflective commentary
Prerequisites
- ENGL 200
- ENGL 290
