Playing company

In Renaissance-era London, playing company was the usual term for a company of actors. These companies were organised around a group of ten or so shareholders, who performed in the plays and also managed the company. The shareholders hired other actors and workers to help with performances.

The most famous company was William Shakespeare's group, called the King's Men. They performed at the open-air Globe Theatre in the summer and at the enclosed Blackfriars Theatre in the winter. Another well-known company was the Admiral's Men, who acted at the Rose Theatre in the 1590s and later at the Fortune Theatre.

Some companies were not as lucky and spent most of their time travelling to different places. When Worcester's Men got permission to perform in London in 1602, it was a big change from their life of constant travelling.

Origins

During the 16th and 17th centuries, theatre grew in England and other European countries like Scotland, France, Denmark, and parts of Germany such as Saxony and the Rhineland Palatinate. Wealthy noble families often had small groups of actors for entertainment, similar to having jesters. These actors sometimes traveled to different cities to perform, which helped theatre become more popular and less dependent on noble support.

One interesting part of this time was the use of young boy actors. Boys were used to play female roles in plays, a tradition that started long before this period. By the early 1500s, some plays were performed entirely by boys, often from church choirs. These boy actors played an important role in developing drama during the later 16th and early 17th centuries.

Costs

Playing companies in Renaissance London did not spend much on scenery or fancy props because they often traveled to different places. However, they spent a lot of money on costumes. Actors needed to look like kings, princes, or important people, so they wore beautiful clothes made of rich fabrics like satin and velvet. These costumes were very valuable, and sometimes actors had to borrow or sell them if the company ran out of money.

Another big cost was buying play scripts. Playwrights were paid only a small amount for each play, but the companies needed many different plays to perform. The actors also paid wages to the other people who worked with them, such as the minor actors and stage workers. These wages were similar to what other workers in that time earned.

Scheduling

Performances at public theatres in London were allowed six days a week, but they closed on Sundays and important religious days like Good Friday. Sometimes, actors played even when they weren’t supposed to, like during Lent. For example, in 1592, a group called the Lord Strange's Men performed every day at the Rose Theatre during Lent.

When the disease called bubonic plague became serious, the theatres had to close. This happened several times. In 1593, many people in London got very sick, and the theatres stayed closed for almost two years. The theatres also closed during other bad disease years, which made it hard for the acting groups. Some kept going by traveling to other places, while others could not continue.

The Elizabethan Age

Main article: Elizabethan era

During the time of Queen Elizabeth, groups of actors, called playing companies, became very popular. These groups needed support from noble families to stay legal, because traveling actors were often seen as troublemakers. Some noble families were kind and helpful to these actors, protecting them and even helping them grow.

One famous group was called The Lord Chamberlain's Men. They worked together, sharing money and decisions in a fair way. Other groups had different leaders who controlled everything very strictly. Even though some people didn't like theatres, many people, from the Queen to ordinary folks, loved watching plays. Theaters popped up in many places outside the city, creating exciting times for everyone who enjoyed drama.

The Jacobean and Caroline Eras

King James, "VI and I", loved plays very much, and during his time, there were many more performances at the royal court than before. In the years before he became king, from 1594 to 1603, there were about six to seven plays each year at the court. But after he became king, from 1603 to 1616, there were more than twenty plays each year.

Important groups of actors received support from royalty. The Lord Chamberlain's Men became known as the King's Men, and the Admiral's Men became Prince Henry's Men, under the support of the king's oldest son. A new group was formed for the king's second son, Charles, who was only eight years old. This group was first called the Duke of York's Men but later named Prince Charles's Men after Prince Henry passed away in 1612.

More groups of actors formed, changed, or ended during the early years of King James' rule. By around the time Shakespeare died in 1616, the play scene had settled into four main groups. These were the King's Men, who performed at the Globe and Blackfriars Theatres; Palsgrave's Men, at the Fortune; Prince Charles's Men, at the Hope; and Queen Anne's Men, at the Red Bull Theatre.

As kings and queens changed, so did the groups of actors. When Queen Anne passed away in 1619, her group ended. When a new queen came in 1625, a new group, Queen Henrietta's Men, was created. Sometimes new groups like Beeston's Boys appeared, and new theatres like the Salisbury Court opened. Big problems, like sickness in London in 1625 and again from 1636 to 1637, caused trouble for actors. Groups split apart, joined together, and moved to different theatres. Only the King's Men were allowed to keep performing. Political problems also sometimes stopped certain groups, and finally, from 1642 to 1660, all theatres were closed, ending the time of English Renaissance theatre.