29 January, 1594 - Titus Andronicus

Here's what the Earl of Sussex's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: R at titus & ondronicous the 28 of Jenewary ... xxxx^s 

In modern English: Received at Titus Andronicus, 29^th January ... 40 shillings

Titus and Lavinia kill Tamora's sons: illustration from

the Pepys Collection's copy of a ballad of Titus

Andronicus (1680s)

Today, Sussex's Men brought back Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's gruesome revenge tragedy about a cycle of vengeance in ancient Rome; you can read more about this play in the entry for 24 January, 1594.

After the excellent box office at the premiere of Titus a few days ago, Sussex's Men have rapidly returned it to the stage. But although today's takings are above average for the Rose, and better than most plays on their second performance this season, they are not spectacular.

What's next?

For some reason there's no record of a performance tomorrow (a Wednesday in 1594). Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 31st of January for a bit of Biblical drama.

Henslowe links

• Transcript of this page of the Diary (from W.W. Greg's 1904 edition)
• Facsimile of this page of the Diary (from the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project)

Comments?

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