ELIZABETHAN THEATRE

Abstract

The focus of the article is on the theatre in Elizabethan Era which covers a period from 1558 to 1603 – well known for fruitful theatrical productions. The research traces the appearance and development of the first permanent professional theatres such as The Theatre, The Curtain, The Newington Butts, The Rose, The Swan, The Globe and The Fortune. The theatres were of two types – public and private with a few differences between them: size, comfort, price, location and audience. The actors were only males according to Elizabethan law which prohibited women to perform on the stage. The study is concentrated on the following constituents of the theatres: their repertoire, popular dramatic genres, theatre design, special effects, music, actors, their costumes as well as their representational skills. Also, the focus is on appearance of magical spirits and various fools who add mysticism to performances and make a satirical commentary on the life and events of the times. The article provides examples from the following widely known plays: “King Lear”, “The Taming of the Shrew”, “The Winter’s Tale”, “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, “King Henry IV” and “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” by W. Shakespeare; “The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus” and “The Jew of Malta” by C. Marlowe and also “The Blind Beggar of Bednall-Green”by J. Day.