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The theatre in Shakespeare's time - Coggle Diagram
The theatre in Shakespeare's time
The playhouses
Daylight performances due to lack of artificial lighting
every outdoor playhouse: Central yard, raised stage, roof "the heavens", trapdoor "hell", backstage area "tiring house"
Playhouses on the south bank for entertainment
in the backstage area were roofed galleries with different seating options for different classes
The Globe: Built in 1599
First purpose-built playhouse: The Theatre (1576)
The audience
entrance fee was a penny and affordable for many although not the very poor
groundlings (spectators in the pit) = they stood on the ground
around 15-20 % regular play-goers within reach of theatres
different seating for gentlemen and nobility
diverse audience: middle class/puritans, skilled workers, artisans, clerks, apprentices and women
The companies
companies had "sharers" who shared profits
hired actors, musicians on contract
companies were named after aristocratic patrons (e.g. The King's men)
high demand for new plays
Entrepreneurs like James Burbage funded theatres
royal patronage provided influence and lucrative performances
The actors
actors were distrusted due to pretending
acting considered a serious art
women weren't allowed, young boys played female roles
acting was not seen as respectable performance
limited props and special effects