Historical Context - Week Three - Part 2

Shakespeare's London

London was a vastly growing city were migrants came from the country side and Europe! There was a huge residency increase of 150,000 in 50 years - that's a lot! It was becoming over crowded and just mental, but the art was growing and it was a brilliant time to be a business man. In 1593 there was the plague which caused theatres to be shut and killed over 10,000 people in London alone. 
London was the richest city in England, wealthy traders, manufactures and workers lived in London and they were the ones who could afford to go to the theatre. In the 1600's 20,00 people were going to the theatre! There were lots of nobel men who would sponsor theatre companies - Royality was located in London and for 10 years Shakespeare's company played at the court of King James I about 15 times a year. 

CITY LAND MARKS! 

St. Pauls Cathedral is the biggest out of the 120 churches in London. The tower is 300 feet tall. It was a place not only for prayer but for business negotiations and a place to socialise. 
There were markets outside selling different types of produce. And there were open air services that could go on for about three hours at a time. 
The Tower of London
The tower was actually used for the royal family to live in - It was a treasury, prison, a weapons room a zoo and the royal mint were the currency was made. 
London Bridge
This was the only bridge in London at that time and joined up the city of London and the north bank of the Thames - where south bank is (right opposite the globe theatre). It was referred to as a continuous street rather than a bridge. 


WHERE DID SHAKESPEARE LIVE AND WORK IN LONDON?

Silver Street Lodgings

St Helens Parish

While Shakepeares' family lived in Stratford Shakespeare lived and worked 100 miles away in London. He lived in London from 1590 to 1613 and lived and worked all over London. He lived in the London Parish of St Helen, the north of London bridge which is close the the theatres and the Curtain Playhouse. He failed to pay for his taxes while living there which confirms his residency. 
He also lived in Paris Gardens Bankside south of the river near the Globe where he worked most of the time in the time of 1598- 1602.
Silver Street was a another place where he lived, he had lodgings there in the Silver Street house of the Mountjoys where a family of French Immigrants who made expensive hats. 

Historical Context - Week Three - Part 1

Shakespeare's Audiences

Audiences - The globe and many other theatres around London had the capacity to hold 300 people for popular and famous plays meaning, 10,000 to 20,000 were going to the theatre in London in a week! 

Who went?

Everyone and anyone - open air theatres were cheap and affordable just one pennie for an admission fee. Servants spent their breaks in theatres watching play after play. The Venetian Ambassador did purchase tickets to watch Pericles by William Shakespeare as well as that, the royals were no strangers to the theatre either. Casts of plays were called to perform for Elizabeth the I and James the I in their private courts. 

Why did people go so often?

Open aired theatres were the cheapest thing, 1 penny would allow you to stand and watch, another penny would give you the lower circle of the theatre and 3 pennies would allow you to have a cushion.The rich could buy the "lord's rooms" for the mere price of 6 pennies. (1 penny is equivalent to a loaf of bread during this time) 

How would people behave?

Behaviour depended on class, some members of the audience went to the theatre to show off their best clothes however may not have had the best manners while in the theatre. There was often talking and discussion with the members of the audience which is not the etiquette we have today. It was rather like a panto, people cheered the goodies and booed the baddies. Lurking around would be pick pocketers. Dancing would privale at the end of each play with the sound of gracious music - Magistrates banned music at the end of shows because of the "Tumults and outrages" with their dances. 

Did the audience affect the success of the plays?

Due the to the amount of people coming to the theatre there were several short runs of plays because they had to keep having new work. 

Fun Fact! In the 80 years between 1560 and 1640 there were 3000 plays written!!!

Many plays did re tell the stories from the past - people loved the battles, music and the humour! Many who didn't like the play would surely let you know....The Swan theatre was damaged in 1602 when several audience members smashed up chairs and stools and ripped the curtains off the wall. There was even hissing in the play "pippin-pelted"! I guess it was because they used women as the female roles (*sarcastic tone* Oh how terrible!) The audience were the ones who gave the support to the theatres and without the support of the audience there would be no shows. ! 

By paying a penny what was it going to be like? I have written a dairy extract to try and capture what it was like to be in the pit of the globe. 

"the globe wast this vast space wh're we couldst enjoyeth a drinketh of ale, has't an apple to consume and gaze a comedy 'r tragedy  t is a lodging i oft wend because i w'rk so much t is nice to seeth something on stage. howev'r the pit doest smelleth a did bite liketh garlic and i doth wisheth to sitteth on a cushion'd seat one day. most people doth findeth us a disgrace but i careth not i am having excit'ment. 

a penny f'r an evening of excit'ment what m're couldst thee wanteth?"

Said By Servant William

In translation 

"the globe was this vast space where we could enjoy a drink of ale, have an apple to eat and watch a comedy er tragedy  it is a place i often go because i work so much. it is nice to see something on stage. however the pit does smell a bit like garlic and i do wish to sit on a cushioned seat one day. most people do find us a disgrace but i care not i am having fun. 

  

a penny for an evening of fun what mere could you want?"

Sources used: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/uploads/files/2014/01/audiences.pdf
http://lingojam.com/EnglishtoShakespearean

Historical Context - Week Two

Mr William Shakespeare - now he is a bit of an odd one - some say he was real some say he was not - it was so long ago I think that all the secure information we know about him has just been lost with Chinese whispers. My opinion, he must of been one extraordinary man in order to write what he did - his brain must of been as nuts as his stories. The plays that he wrote laid down a foundation for secure overused story lines - Romeo and Juliet is one of the most classic examples - the idea of conflict between two groups of people disallowing love between another two people and then having a tragic ending - that has been redone and reused for all sorts of films but each one is unique in it's own perspective. 


Fact File About William Shakespeare...

William Shakespeare - 

• Born in 1564 in Stratford Upon Avon 
• Baptised on the 26th of April 1564 but there is still some uncertainty about when he was actually born. 
• Mother Named Mary and Father named John
• Died on the 23rd of April 

These are the basics that we know about Shakespeare.

EARLY LIFE

Shakespeare was the 3rd oldest in his family of 8 but after his two sisters died he became the eldest in the family. During the time when Shakespeare was a baby there was the plague which killed 1 in 5 people in his town, Stratford. 

School - William Shakespeare went to a grammar school from the age of 7 to 15. The boys were taught to read and write in Latin and also learnt to recite history stories. 

MARRIED and FAMILY LIFE 

William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 which was quite young for men at that time - but soon after the wedding Shakespeare's first child was born called Susanna. There is still a grey area about what we know about his family but what we do know is that Anne had 2 more children who were twins. They moved house to New Place which was a bigger house in Stratford however Shakespeare rarely lived there, he spent a lot of his time in London. 

LONDON and WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
There is still some uncertainty about when Shakespeare actually came to London and how he got into the theatre world but we do know that in 1592 he was known be to a well known actor  He was also a playwright and in 1592 his play Henry VI was put on in the Rose Theatre (in Kingston). In his later time in London he wrote and helped write about 40 plays as well as that he published 154 sonnets. As well as writing a whole book of sonnets Shakespeare also wrote a very long poem called Venus and Adonis  (1593).
In 1599 he was a co-owner of the Globe Theatre, which helped him earn money for Acting, writing and running the globe and theatre company Lord Chamberlain's men. 

HIS DEATH.... 
His last play that he wrote was The Two Nobel Kinsmen.
After the time he had spent in London he decided to return to Stratford where he would settle down after the busy life he had lead. On April the 23rd 1616 he died, making a will before in January. 
Fun Fact: Some believe that Shakespeare died on his Birthday - considering he was baptised on the 26th of April he could of been born 3 days before. 

Sources I used: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/uploads/files/2014/06/william_shakespeare.pdf
http://www.folger.edu/shakespeares-life#london

Classical Theatre - Love's Labours Lost - The Princess Of France

The Princess
My physicality
My role is to play games with the men to trick and deceive them. Already I love this character she is just wonderful. I do feel a good connection with her and I want to do her justice  I am sharing the role with the wonderful Tatenda, I have never worked with her before but I reckon we are going to be fab Princesses. 

Today we did the opening of the play and as a warm up Sarah got us to do some work on the Physicality of our Character. 

I am going to make a clear choice to use my hands when speaking and to really emphasise on words I am saying by using my hands when talking to people. I am also choosing to change my posture a little so make it more upright. 

I do however change my character's physicality when I am around certain characters. When I am around the girls, Maria, Katherine and Rosaline I chose to make my body more relaxed by leaning on my arm a little when I am sitting down or I will lean on Tatenda. BUT when I am around the boys there will be a more rigidity in my body to show the men that I don't budge easily. I want to show weakness in front of the men. 

Historical Context - Week One

What sense do you get of what life was like in the Elizabethan England?

Have a little listen to the music of the time while reading about what it was like to be in the Elizabethan Era. 

Population

We start our journey in the heart of England - During the 16th Century (1500s) there was a vast increase in population. London became the biggest city in Europe with 130,000 to 150,000 people living in the city. There were huge contrasts to the city as some parts were wonderful and wealthy and some where abominable and poor. With narrow streets and poor hygiene the city was full of germs. 

This was a time of the start of exploration of the world and art being perfected. There was a lot of fame that surrounded some people due to politics, royalty, explorers, inventors and art. Underneath are some people who were 'famous'

- Sir Francis Drake

- Walter Reily 

- William Shakespeare

- And Mary Queen Of Scots

Inventions made in England
In 1550 John Dee wrote a book that changed maths to do with Elements of Geomatory which made a significant change to Mathematics as we know it. Bottled beer was invented in 1568 and the first working flushing toilet was also created in 1591 by Sir John Harrington. 

Life for Women

Women were considered to be the "weaker vessel" and more subservient than men. Besides the fact they had a Queen as one of their main leaders, women were still low down on the status chart. They would rely solely on the money that their husband or other male relation would provide. There 'job' was to create a family, keep good home and be as holy as they could be by keeping to their marriage vows. 
But there were also some kick-ass women of that time - the Virgin Queen was a red headed maniac who ruled with harsh judgement and stern policies. She faced such hardships in order to become Queen -  in a sentence - dad died brother took over reined for 6 years died another queen reined for 9 days then died then another queen reined for 5 years and then died and then FINALLY Elizabeth the I became Queen. She had many friends and foes and during her time there was the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Francis Drakes 'discovery' of America and William Shakespeare's incredible work. 

Village life

Village life differed each season - The harvest was a time when villages were running around picking plants and selling produce. People would work in the family and the family trade would be passed down generation to generation - so what ever skill your father did wether he was a farmer or a Blacksmith you would do that profession and carry it on through the family name.

Medicine in Elizabethan England

Imagine thousands of people in one city with houses looming over you - you look up and can hardly see the sky when in the streets of London. The floor is covered in urine and faeces and the pumps of water give out Typhoid like it's going out of fashion. Germs were unknown to people and they believed it was your sins that caused illness. Diagnosis via your star signs and the colour and taste of your urine was still used and there was no real medical advancements - lots of different things were discovered in the Renaissance period about the anatomy of the human body however this didn't save lives or change treatments. Medicine did not yet have refinement. During the Elizabethan time there was the Bubonic Plague which killed millions around the world. Everything was filthy and you'd be lucky to have a bath once a year!

Religion 
England was considered to be a place where Christianity was a highly worshipped religion - church was still mandatory and religion gathered communities together. After the rein of Henry the VIII there was a divide in the church system - Catholics and Protestant which would later on spur on rivalries. Within religion it was closely linked to the Monarchy - The monarchy during Shakespeare's time was Elizabeth the first

Theatre In Elizabethan London

Theatre was becoming a huge part of culture - men realised it was a money booming business where people would come and watch masterpieces of work. Throughout the whole period theatres would pop up such as the globe theatre, the Rose theatre in Kingston and the Swan theatre. All these places would put on work which were primarily performed by men. However during the time when disease was easily spread many theatres were shut down for periods of times - everyone was ill and dying and could not attend the theatre - there was no one to act and no one to watch. 

Sources I used: 
http://www.tenfactsabout.co.uk/0033elizabethi.htm

Classical Theatre - The Dance

As part of our performance we have to do a dance that shows our teasing to the boys. We learnt a simple routine which was easy to get the hold of and was something that was rather funny. I am not the best dancer which isn't such a bad thing but I do feel confident enough to perform it. I do however I think it is important to show the story through the dance and how the girls do not want to dance at all. It could be quite a comical scene where the boys are trying their best to impress us while dancing to upbeat music. 
The music is by Benny Goodman and is totally appropriate to the period of time. The 1940's was an era of Jazz and upbeat music and the dance reflect this. It's fast and has elements of the Charleston in it.  I must say it is going to be interesting to show on stage. 

Classical Theatre - Women's Fashion of the 1940's - Costumes

What did the women wear?

The 1940's in the UK was a time for war and rationing especially, fabric was rationed and the skirts went shorter. There was a desire to have an  hour glass figure with big shoulders and tiny waits - broad shoulders showing masculinity - a lot of women had to take up the male roles while the men were busy fighting at war so the clothes went from skirts to trousers. The whole figure of the women with the broad shoulders was brought back int he 1980's but a little more extreme 40 years later. Women often wore stockings but since Nylons were being rationed also women would lace their legs in gravy and draw the stocking seem with an eye brow pencil.

Classical Theatre - Theme of Love's Labours Lost

RIOT CLUB
I also like to call this club the "my daddy's got lots of money so lets be sexist pricks who will eventually run our country" club - I think that has a nicer ring to it. Not that I have a problem with the group.

We are setting Love's Labour's Lost in the 1940's in Oxford University - King Navarre and his lords will the members of the Riot Club. 

The Bullington Club as it's also known as has had members such as, Borris Johnson, George Osborne and our "beloved" David Cameron. There are may rumours about what the club entails and one of the many things that was done was David Cameron, yes David Cameron our PRIMEMINISTER having sex with a pig. Click on that for more information. 

It's gong to be very interesting to have the play set in this time - the whole story of the play it really does fit with this whole idea of posh idiots and that fitting with the Characters King Navarre, Berwone, Dumaine and Longeville. 

Classical Theatre - Love's Labour's Lost

Synopsis of Love's Labour's Lost:

King Navarre and three lords, Longeville, Berwone and Dumaine are going to make an Oath that they will fast and stay away from women for 3 years while they study. The Gentlemen get a letter from the Spaniard Don Armardo explaining that Costard has been fooling around with Jaquenetta who is the country Wench. The King gives Costard a sentence. Armardo then tells Moth (his page) that he has fallen in love with Jaquenetta and asks Costard to deliver a letter to her. 

The Princess of France arrives with her friends, Rosaline, Maria and Katherine. But. Because of the Oath that no woman may approach King Navarre's Court, she has to remain outside the castle, she is not too happy about this. And obviously there is some love involved and all the men fall in love with the women. 
Berowne then gives a letter to Costard to give to Rosaline however Costard gets the letters between Jaquenetta and Rosaline mixed up. Once Jaquenetta has got the letter she asks the lords Holofernes and Sir Nathaniel about it - they then re assure her that the letter has obviously been mis delivered and that she should give it to the king. 
Berowne hides while the King pronounces his love for the Princess. Longeville then approaches and the King and Berwone both hide while watching Longeville show his love for Maria. Then all three of them hide as they watch, Dumaine then proclaims his love for Katherine. Longaville advances and tells Dumaine that he is not in love and the King then tells both Lords off for breaking their Oath. Berwone then tells everyone that the King is in love also. 

Muscovites

Jaquenetta then gives Berwone the letter, and Dumaine picks up a letter with Berwone's name on it which Berwone has confessed all this love as well. So the men all admit that they are in love and decide to court their women. 
The Kind and his lords come to the Princess's pavilion dressed up as Muscovites. The women then take Boyets warning as a precaution for them to change favours so the men will get confused which women is which. After the men reveal themselvse the women all tell them that they have been pranked.  A messenger arrives to announce the Princess of France's father's death and she decided to return to France.
The women end the play when they tell their suitors to seek them again in a years time - they depart - the end. 

INSTEAD OF READING ALL OF THIS YOU MIGHT WANT TO WATCH THIS VIDEO INSTEAD!