Picture of
William Shakespeare
and some contempories
Shakespeare and the Chamberlain's
men and the King's men
ACTING TROUPES!
Travelling
actors were perceived as a threat - many of the actors were
considered to be rogues and vagabonds! They were free to put
on any play and some of these might contain content which
spoke against the state or expressed seditious or heretical
ideas
They needed to
be controlled! In 1572 the Queen imposed regulations on
acting troupes and as a result licenses were granted to the
aristocracy for the maintenance of troupes of players!
The Earl of
Leicester's Men were established in 1572 and were the
earliest organized Elizabethan acting company
James Burbage
was a member of the Earl of Leicester's Men and in 1576 he
built the very first theatre in England which he called 'The
Theatre'
The Earl of
Leicester died in 1588 and the troupe merged with Lord
Strange's Men. Lord Strange died in 1594 and many of his
acting troupe later joined the Chamberlain's men
ACTING TROUPES - THE
CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN & THE KING'S MEN
Their patron was
Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon, the Lord Chamberlain and with his
death followed by George Carey, the 2nd Lord Hunsdon, who
was made the Lord Chamberlain in 1597 - hence the name!
Shakespeare
joined the Chamberlain's men
The
Chamberlain's Men performed at the 'Theatre' in Shoreditch
and became the most important company of players in England
The accession of
King James I in March 1603 led to a change of name for the
acting troupe. By letters patent, it was taken under royal
patronage and henceforth known as the King's Men
The acting
company also performed at the Middle Temple Hall, Gray's Inn
Hall, the Globe Theatre and Blackfriars Theatre
Shakespeare is
often referred to as a member of the Chamberlain's men and a
member of the King's men
Their rivals
were the Admiral's Men under the patronage of Lord Howard,
England's Lord High Admiral who played at Philip Henslowe's
Rose Theatre - their principal actor was Edward Alleyn
Shakespeare and
the Chamberlain's men and the King' Men
