What are “lost” theatrical properties? What evidence exists for them? This post draws on my research into the impermanent materials of early modern performance to consider the theatrical life of early modern sweets. In January 1573, preparations at Hampton Court for welcoming the new year with the anonymously writtenMasque of Janus were stalled by the weather. … Continue reading Lost properties and where to find them: comfit hailstones
Box Office Bears: a new research project on animal-baiting
Box Office Bears has begun! But who were they and what does it mean? We are delighted to announce the start of the £978,319 AHRC-funded project ‘Box Office Bears (BOB): Animal baiting in early modern England’, officially starting today. Over the next three years we’ll be exploring the lives of the animals and people involved … Continue reading Box Office Bears: a new research project on animal-baiting
Repertory and Reputation at the Curtain
Adeola Ogunbadewa is a research intern at the School of English at the University of Kent, where she is going into her final year reading for a BA in Spanish and Religious Studies. She has been working on a project to develop a timeline of play events and performances at the Curtain playhouse. The Curtain, in … Continue reading Repertory and Reputation at the Curtain
The possible discovery of the Red Lion, London’s first Elizabethan playhouse
In the latest A Bit Lit film, the theatre historian and Before Shakespeare advisor Holger Syme speaks to Andy Kesson about last month's announcement of the discovery of the Red Lion site, complete with a possible playhouse. See the film here, and see ABitLit.co for all of our films.
Ruff Play with Shakespeare: a new video series
Wrestling Resurgence, @RobBrazierPhoto This weekend would have seen our first workshop on wrestling, gender and entertainment: see below for more details. We will run our workshop in whenever and whatever the future might turn out to be, but in the meantime, our related project A Bit Lit has begun a new film series on wrestling, … Continue reading Ruff Play with Shakespeare: a new video series
A bit lit: a new forum for scholarship and creativity
This is just a short note to let you know that members of the Before Shakespeare team have set up a YouTube channel seeking to provide a space for fun, relaxed and silly conversations about scholarship and creativity. In these very difficult times, we'd love it if you joined us, as listeners, contributors or if … Continue reading A bit lit: a new forum for scholarship and creativity
Ruff Play with Shakespeare: postponed
We are very sorry to say that Ruff Play with Shakespeare, our forthcoming combat event, has been postponed. We will await future advice on public gatherings before announcing a new date, and will refund those who have bought tickets as soon as possible. We would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who … Continue reading Ruff Play with Shakespeare: postponed
Pass Ye Remote: A Quest for Early Modern Entertainment Through Online Learning Resources
Welcome to Elizabethan England via the digital world! We're lucky to have a range of exciting and innovative online resources at our disposal that make it possible to explore the entertainment and cultural activities of early modern England through our computer screens. This post (in collaboration with Middling Culture) takes the form of "remote quest(ions)" … Continue reading Pass Ye Remote: A Quest for Early Modern Entertainment Through Online Learning Resources
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Ruff Play with Shakespeare: combat, gender and entertainment
Wrestling Resurgence, @RobBrazierPhoto To book, please click here. Before Shakespeare and Engendering the Stage are delighted to announce our next performance workshop, focusing on combat as entertainment—in both Shakespeare’s time and today. Combat, acrobatics and feats of strength were everywhere in the early modern period: wrestling happened on the streets, in the countryside and in plays … Continue reading Ruff Play with Shakespeare: combat, gender and entertainment
Roguery in print: crime and culture in early modern London
In celebration of her new book, Lena Liapi writes a guest post on rogues in print. We are delighted that Roguery in Print is now in print! Robert Greene, a writer central to the commercial dramatic developments of the late 1580s and 1590s, was perhaps better known to early modern men and women through his … Continue reading Roguery in print: crime and culture in early modern London
Before Shakespeare 