Theatre & performanceLesson 2 of 2 in the course Theatre history

Institutions, Playhouses, and Performance in English Renaissance Theatre

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

This lesson introduces the period known as English Renaissance theatre and the educational settings that helped develop theatrical skills and audiences. Understanding these origins shows that theatre grew from more than commercial playhouses: schools, universities, and legal communities all contributed.

English Renaissance theatre refers broadly to English theatre from the mid-16th century until the parliamentary ban on public stage plays in 1642. The phrase Elizabethan theatre is sometimes used loosely for the whole era, but strictly it describes the reign of Elizabeth I, from 1558 to 1603.

All flashcards

What does English Renaissance theatre mean?
It broadly refers to English theatre from the mid-16th century until the 1642 parliamentary ban on public stage plays.
What are the three phases of the period?
Elizabethan theatre (1558–1603), Jacobean theatre (1603–1625), and Caroline theatre (1625–1642).
What was the trivium?
The grammar-school curriculum of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Rhetorical study developed skills such as memory, voice, delivery, and gesture that were useful in performance.
How did choir schools contribute to theatre?
Court-connected choir schools staged entertainments for the Queen and, from the 1560s and 1570s, some performed for wider audiences. Their traditions helped produce companies of boy actors.
What were the Inns of Court?
They were communities of lawyers and university alumni. Members took part in legal exercises and also organized plays, masques, and other entertainments.

Quiz questions

  1. Why were permanent playhouses built beyond the City of London's boundaries?Answer: City restrictions made sites outside its jurisdiction more practical for performances.
  2. Which arrangement was typical of public playhouses such as the Globe?Answer: Galleries overlooked an open yard around a stage projecting into the space.
  3. What distinguished the Blackfriars theatre from typical public playhouses?Answer: It was a smaller, enclosed venue rather than an open-air playhouse.
  4. Who performed female roles on the professional English stage during this period?Answer: Boys or young men played the female roles.
  5. What did Parliament's 1642 order require regarding public stage plays?Answer: It prohibited public performances, but did not order theatre buildings destroyed.

Based on the Wikipedia article English Renaissance theatre, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Theatre & performance

All Theatre & performance lessons
Theatre & performanceStanislavski’s Acting System: Origins, Rehearsal, and Development5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Theatre & performanceScenic Design: History, Elements, and Contemporary Practice5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Theatre & performanceTheatre Directing: Responsibilities, History, and Training5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Theatre & performanceStagecraft: Historical Practices, Production Disciplines, and Technology5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Theatre & performancePlaywriting: Historical Traditions, Dramatic Theory, and New-Play Development5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Theatre & performanceActing: Craft, Training, Performance Meaning, and Stage Fright5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →