Theatre Transformation

Political and social changes during Shakespeare's career caused many
transformations in the theater. These changes were caused by the theater profession and
its development along with the manner in which people attended the performances. Near
the end of the 16th-century London was a booming and bustling city, controlled by the
Tower of London. It portrayed an active business community with the majesty of the
court. Because both the city and the court endorsed performances there was a disorderly
atmosphere for the theater, an air of competition seemed to exist between the two.
The city supported the stately Lord Mayor's Show while the court supported
gallant tournaments and masque. The theater is certainly the most complex of the arts
because it requires so many kinds of artist for its creation. In Shakespeare's time, most of
the artistic functions were performed by the dramatist, who acted in his own plays. The
theatre of Shakespeare's time encircled two types of presentations. One consisted of
adult men who performed a variety of romantic and traditional narratives. The other
used much of the same material but was performed by a company of boys.
The boys belong to the Children of St. Paul's Chapel and used much more music
and dance in their performances which set them apart from the adult men performances.
The boys were generally forced into service to sing and act for the entertainment of the
Queen. The Queen's council terminated the boy's performances in 1590 leaving only the
men's theatrical company to serve as entertainment. Though it reopened nine years later,
it only lasted ten years before it stopped being an visual part of the London theatre.
During this time the Court masque became a new representation of the theatre. The
masque was not versed in literature and made little or no money because it used dance
rather than being a large spectacle show.
Dramatist, Ben Jonson, implemented significant changes to the masque by
expanding its theatrical features. He incorporated mythical and classical subjects to
provide more musical, poetic, and scenic entertainment in order to flatter and include the
royal family in the performances. The royal family engaged in the dances while
professional actors would perform the speaking and singing parts. They also did the
comic or grotesque dancing made known by Jonson. Shakespeare's efforts in writing at
this time were concentrated on the men in the public theaters and unlike his rival Ben
Jonson, he did not write for the boys companies or the masque.
During the mid-1590's the existence of the theatre became vulnerable to the
censorship of the authorities. Controversy over playing sites involved the court and the
city officials who tried very hard to overpower all theatrical performances. With the help
of the Queen and her political powers the continuance of the theatre was allowed,
however, it remained under strict censorship. This censorship threatened to close many
of the theatrical companies including Shakespeare and his company. At one time his
company was interrogated because it was believed they had conspired to revive Richard
II. In 1597, all performances were temporarily suspended as a result of the lost play, The
Isle of Dogs.
Another threat to the theatre was the plaque. Outbreaks of this deadly disease
generally occurred during the summer months and endangered the continuance of
performances which closed many of the public theaters. The outbreak of the plaque
began in 1592 and continued through 1594. When James I took over the leading theatres
companies in 1603, the men began to perform in the indoor theatres that the children had
previously perform in. The seating capacity was much smaller than the public playhouses
so the price for admission was much higher, forcing out the average patron. As a result a
higher-status clientele attended the performances which changed and brought a new slant
in writing styles.
The organization and management styles of the three theatres were very different
from each other. The children were taken advantage of by the manager of the boy's
company for their own financial gain and artistic recognition. The Court theatre,
sponsored by nobility, employed the masque to enhance their reputation and majesty, and
to entertain their guest. Only the public theatres allowed the actors of the company to
take part in the financial and artistic direction of the organization.
The theatrical organization was made up of three types of workers: sharers,
journeymen, and apprentices. The sharers were the supervisors, actors, and controllers of
the company. They were responsible for purchasing plays, buying costumes, and renting
the playhouses. They also shared in the profits. The journeymen were simply the hired
helped and did not share in the profits. The apprentice boys, who played the female
roles, were controlled by the sharers and occasionally, if there was a vacancy, they were
admitted to the company.
Shakespeare became the leading figure in the Lord Chamberlain's men in 1594.
This was a prestigious and prosperous company because of their close-knit working
relations and the ownership of several theatres. The sharers had a joint partnership in the
construction and ownership of the Globe Theatre and in the operation of the Blackfriars.
Because the Lord Chamberlain-King's men were able to successfully share in the total
operation of the company, they became very prosperous both artistically and financially.
There were three types of performances for the companies: for the public, at
Court, and in the provinces. The company performed on a regular basis for the public in
open or roofed playhouse. Only occasional performances were given at Court or at a
nobleman's home. The provincial performances were given when the troupe went on
tour due to lack of theatre availability. However, as theatres became more permanent in
London, the more prestigious companies gave up touring in order to perform on a regular
basis at a fixed location. These prestigious companies became known to a particular
playhouse. The Chamberlain-King's men performed regularly at the Globe and the
Blackfriars. The Admiral-Prince's men were recognized at the Rose Theatre, and the
Worcester-Queen's men with the Red Bull. On-the-road plays continued but only as a
result of the plaque during summer months.

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