Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre

Elizabethan Theatre

Elizabethan theatre stemmed from the Middle Ages where churches staged plays about their saints. Mid-16th century, morality plays showing the battle between good and evil were very popular in England. Travelling actors often performed morality plays in courtyards and taverns in London. From the 1560's some acting groups were formed by wealthy nobles and even the monarch, for example, 'The Queen's Men' and 'The Earl of Derby's Players'.

In 1576, Elizabethan drama progressed dramatically. James Burbage built an amphitheatre styled theatre and called it 'The Theatre'. This set off a chain reaction with 'The Fortune' being built in 1600 and 'The Red Bull' in 1605, both in the north of London. However, south of the Thames, another theatre district opened much earlier with 'The Rose' in 1587, 'The Swan' in 1595, Shakespeare's 'The Globe in 1599 and 'The Hope' in1605. In Elizabethan theatre, not only were morality plays performed but also comedies, histories and melodramatics.

Towards the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, she had actors play for her in her palace. The theatre districts were in danger from the Puritans, who thought that all fun was sinful and wanted the theatres destroyed. Theatre staff, actors and the public were all anxious that the next monarch would be Protestant or worse: Puritan.

Jacobean Theatre

England’s next monarch, after Elizabeth, was James I of England (James VI of Scotland). His first act as King in 1603 was to declare patronage to the 'Lord Chamberlain's Men', who soon became the 'King's Men' or the 'King's Majesty's Men'. The bid change in Jacobean theatre was not the acting groups' names but the types of plays that were on show. Elizabethan theatre plays were very optimistic with lots of comedies and farces where Jacobean theatre plays were much more serious and realistic. This theme may have influenced Shakespeare's later comedies which all consisted strongly of dark, twisted humour. Shakespeare also wrote his greatest tragedies such as 'Hamlet' under James I's reign although it is thought that the death of Shakespeare's only son, Hamnet, deeply inspired 'Hamlet' and his other tragedies. Other playwrights also wrote darker plays with violence, evil and lust overpowering love, beauty and hope.