5 November, 1597 - Friar Spendleton and the end of the Diary!

Here's what the Admiral's Men and Pembroke's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: 5 | tt at fryer splendelton |  00 | 14

In modern English: 5^th [November, 1597] ... total at Friar Spendleton ... 14 shillings

Portrait of a Camaldulense
Friar by Moroni (1560s)

And so, with an under-attended performance of a lost play about which we know absolutely nothing, Henslowe's Diary comes to an end! That's all, folks.

It's an anticlimax, to be sure. But it's worth stressing that this isn't the end of the Diary as such; rather, it's simply the last entry in Henslowe's lists of named performances. Henslowe will continue to record box office information; however, he will no longer give the names of the plays, so the lists become less interesting: pure accountancy without any attention to what is happening on stage. (To be strictly accurate, two performances will inexplicably be named in 1599, but I decided not to trouble with them!)

No-one knows why Henslowe stopped naming the plays. But this shift in the Diary seems to correspond with the retirement of Edward Alleyn as actor, which must have felt like the end of an era.  

That, then, is the end of Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! But stay tuned, because over the next few days I will tell some tales about what happened next, and I will sum up the highs and lows of six years at the Rose. 

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?

Did I make a mistake? Do you have a question? Have you anything to add? Please post a comment below!

4 November, 1597 - A Humorous Day's Mirth

Here's what the Admiral's Men and Pembroke's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: 4| tt at vmers... | 00 | 16

In modern English: 4^th [November, 1597] ... total at Humours ... 16 shillings

Today, the Admiral's Men revived their 

A classic image of a
melancholic, from
Robert Burton's Anatomy
of Melancholy (1622)

Comedy of Humours, which is almost certainly another name for George Chapman's A Humorous Day's Mirth. You can read more about this eccentric comedy in the entry for 11 May. 

A Humorous Day's Mirth  has been a stupendous success this year, but today's box office is less impressive, being no better than some of the other plays staged this week. Perhaps it is gradually becoming shopworn. 

This is the last recorded performance of A Humorous Day's Mirth, but that doesn't mean the company will never perform it again (the Diary will come to an end tomorrow, but the Rose performances will not).

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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3 November, 1597 - Hardicanute

Here's what the Admiral's Men and Pembroke's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: 3 | tt at knewtus | 00 | 10

In modern English: 3^rd [November, 1597] ... total at Canutus ... 10 shillings

Today, the players performed a play called

Hardicanute as depicted in the Genealogical
Roll of the Kings of England (14th century)

Canutus, which is most likely the same play as the Hardicanute staged recently. If so, it was about the young Danish prince who becomes a despotic king of England; you can read more about this play in the entry for 20 October. 

The introduction of Hardicanute to the Rose has not been a successful one; today's box office is very small. This is its last appearance in the Diary but that doesn't mean anything; the Diary will end soon but the Rose performances will not.

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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13 October, 1597 - Doctor Faustus and a short hiatus

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

Henslowe writes: tt at docter fostes ... 0

In modern English: [13 October, 1597]  ... total at Doctor Faustus ... 0

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today, the Admiral's Men revived Dr Faustus, Christopher Marlowe's famous tragedy about a scholar who sells his soul to the devil. You can read more about this play in the entry for 2 October, 1594. But no box office figure is recorded, and Henslowe will list no more performances for a week.

Dr Faustus is one of the most famous plays of the English Renaissance, but its box office as recorded in Henslowe's Diary has generally been unremarkable. Although the zero in today's entry surely does not mean that no-one came at all (more likely it is an error of some kind), it is a sadly appropriate grave-marker for the play's last appearance in Henslowe's Diary.

That does not mean that this is the end of the line for Dr Faustus. There are records of it being performed in other playhouses decades later, and it will live on in the cultural memory (see here for examples). But for us, it's a rather awkward goodbye to a legend.

What's next?

For unknown reasons, no more performances are listed until 20 October. See you then!

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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11 October, 1597 - Hieronimo and a new beginning

Here's what the Admiral's Men and Pembroke's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: In the name of god amen the xj of octobe begane my lord admerals & my lord of penbrockes men to playe at my howse 1597

11 |  tt at Joroneymo | 02 | 00

In modern English: In the name of god, Amen; 11 October began my Lord Admiral's and my Lord of Pembroke's Men to play at my house, 1597 

11^th [October, 1597] ... total at Hieronimo ... £2

Welcome back! Today, the Rose playhouse has re-opened its doors after London's theatres were closed back in July. If you recall, the authorities had demanded that the playhouse cease performances until "Allhallowtide next", which would indicate the end of October, but the players have returned early, for reasons unknown.

As you can see from Henslowe's note at the top of today's entry, there are some changes at the Rose. The Admiral's Men, who have been performing here for many years, are now apparently joined by the Earl of Pembroke's Men. This is the company that had previously been performing at the Swan playhouse down the road, and whose production of the scandalous Isle of Dogs play may have been the cause of the shutdown of the theatres. Pembroke's Men were apparently no longer able to perform at the Swan, and it is not clear whether some of the members have merged with the Admiral's, or whether the two companies are remaining separate, perhaps taking turns at the Rose. 

Woodcut from the 1615 edition of The Spanish Tragedy.

To mark their return to the Rose, the players have revived Hieronimo, which is almost certainly an alternate title for Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy, a famous and much-loved old play about the revenge of a grieving father for his son's death. You can read more about it in the entry for 14th March, 1592. London's theatregoers seem surprisingly unexcited by the return of playing to the Bankside, however, with the theatre only about half full. 

This is the last performance of The Spanish Tragedy recorded in Henslowe's diary. The old classic is one of the most frequently-performed plays in the Diary, and has been seen 29 times since its first appearance five years ago (when it was already no spring chicken).  But a last entry in the Diary doesn't mean its stage life is over. We are now in the final batch of Henslowe's records of performances, and the end of this blog is thus nigh! I should warn you that the last entries are not a spectacular climax; they are puzzling and intermittent, with several hiatuses, and ultimately, they will fizzle out unceremoniously in mid-November. Don't say I didn't warn you.

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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27 July, 1597 - Five Plays in One

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

Henslowe writes: 27 | tt at v playes in one | 00 | 14

In modern English: 27^th [July, 1597] ... total at Five Plays in One .. 14 shillings

The number 5 in a
column of figures
in Henslowe's Diary

Welcome back! The Rose has been closed for a week, perhaps owing to the departure of actor Martin Slater, but performances have now restarted. 

For the re-opening, the Admiral's Men have revived their lost piece Five Plays in One, which was probably a collection of one-act plays, perhaps linked by a narrative device; you can read more about it in the entry for 7 April. This is the last appearance of Five Plays in One in the Diary.

Things may seem to be back to normal, but in fact the players are about to experience a nasty shock - tune in tomorrow to find out why! 

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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18 July, 1597 - The Wise Man of West Chester and a departure

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

Henslowe writes:  

marten slather went for the company of my lord admeralles men the 18 July 1597 

18 | tt at wisman  | 01 | 10 

In modern English:

Martin Slater went for the company of my Lord Admiral's Men, 18 July, 1597 

18^th [July, 1597] ... total at Wise Man ... £1 and 10 shillings [i.e. 30 shillings]

A man, who might possibly be
wise, carved on the choir
stalls of Chester Cathedral

Today was an unusual day at the Rose, as we must say goodbye both to a play and to an actor.

On this day, the players performed The Wise Man of West Chester, a lost play that appears to have been about a wizard in the English city of Chester; you can read more about it in the entry for 3 December, 1594. But this is its final appearance in Henslowe's Diary after an extraordinary journey. With 32 performances in two and a half years, it is now the second most performed play in the Diary, beaten only by The Jew of Malta. The Wise Man of West Chester will probably return (the Diary will come to an end later this year, but the Rose performances will not), but for us, this is farewell to a lost icon of the stage. 

Curiously, Henslowe also notes that an actor has departed: Martin Slater "went for" the company, meaning that he left. We don't know much about Slater's role in the company up to this point, but he had belonged to it since at least 1594, and is mentioned in the surviving 'plot' of Frederick and Basilea. 

Slater appears to have taken with him some of the company's playbooks (that is, texts marked up for performance), because next year Henslowe will make notes in the Diary about trying to get them back. These playbooks include some retired plays - parts one and two of Hercules, Phocas, and Pythagoras - but also Alexander and Lodowick, which was on a stage only a few days ago.

It seems that Slater's departure absence is an unexpected problem, as there will soon be a hiatus in the company's output. Watch this space!

FURTHER READING

Martin Slater information

• Carol Chillington Rutter, Documents of the Rose Playhouse (Manchester University Press, 1984), 89, 106, 111, 141-3.
• Andrew Gurr, Shakespeare's Opposites (Cambridge University Press, 2009), 286

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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16 July, 1597 - A French Comedy

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

Henslowe writes: 16 | tt at frenshe comodey ...  | 00 | 09

In modern English: 16^th [July, 1597] ... total at French Comedy ... 9 shillings

Antoine Watteau, Actors of the
Comédie-Française (1710s)

Today, for the last time on record, the Admiral's Men performed A French Comedy, a lost play. You can read more about this play in the entry for 18 April.

The company has waited a fortnight to revive A French Comedy and today's audience is once again tiny. And after eleven performances, this is the final appearance of the play in Henslowe's Diary. That doesn't necessarily mean the company will never perform it again (the Diary will come to an end later this year, but the Rose performances will not). But the play's box office has rarely been notable, and there are no records of any later revivals.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 17th July was a Sunday in 1597 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 18th, but for a week that will be abruptly truncated.

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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v

15 July, 1597 - Alexander and Lodowick

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

Henslowe writes: 15 | tt at elexsander & lodwicke ... | 00 | 08

In modern English: 15^th [July, 1597] ... received at Alexander and Lodowick ... 8 shillings

A very generic illustration accompanying the
printed text of the ballad of The Two Faithful
Friends: The Pleasant History of Alexander
and Lodowick

Today, for the last time on record, the Admiral's Men revived Alexander and Lodowick, a lost play about two friends who swap places. You can read more about this play in the entry for 14 January. 

The company has waited a fortnight to return Alexander and Lodowick to the stage after its relatively successful performance on St Peter's Day. Unfortunately, today's audience is tiny. 

Alexander and Lodowick does not reappear in the Diary after this entry, but that doesn't mean the company will abandon it. As we'll see in a few days, its playbook (the copy of the text marked up for performance) will go AWOL with a departing company member. But it will return, as Henslowe's financial transactions in 1598 show him buying new costumes for a revival. 

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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5 July, 1597 - That Will Be Shall Be

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

Henslowe writes:  5 |  tt at what wilbe shalbe ... | 00 | 10

In modern English: 5^th [July, 1597]  ... total at What Will Be Shall Be ... 10 shillings 

Today, for the last time on record, the Admiral's Men staged That Will Be Shall Be, an enigmatic lost play about which you can read more in the entry for 30 December, 1596.

The company is continuing with its routine of performing That Will Be Shall Be only about once a month, but this is its last appearance in the Diary. It has received 12 performances in total since its premier at the end of December, but has rarely achieved impressive box office, so this may be goodbye forever.

A female archer tries to take down a war elephant. The man on the
right appears to share the sentiments of this play's title.
From the Smithfield Decretals (c.1340)

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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4 July, 1597 - Frederick and Basilea

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

Henslowe writes:  4 | tt at fredericke & baselia ... | 01 | 00

In modern English: 4^th [July, 1597] ... total at Frederick and Basilea ... £1 [i.e. 20 shillings]

Detail from The Reception of the Ambassadors
in Damascus (anonymous, 1511)

Today, for the last known time, the Admiral's Men revived Frederick and Basilea, a lost play that survives only as a 'plot': a list of entrances used to help the actors keep on track. You can read more about this play in the entry for 3 June.

The company has waited two and a half weeks to stage Frederick and Basilia a fourth time. The box office is a bit higher than last time, but this is the play's last appearance in Henslowe's Diary. That doesn't necessarily mean they will never perform it again (the Diary will come to an end later this year, but the Rose performances will not). But its prospects have never looked promising. 

 

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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1 July, 1597 - The Life and Death of Harry I

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

Henslowe writes: July 1597 | 1 | tt at harey the firste ... 00 | 06

In modern English: 1^st July, 1597 ... total at Harry I ... 6 shillings

 

King Henry I depicted in The Book
of the Laws of Ancient Kings (1321)

Today, for the last recorded time, the Admiral's Men revived their lost history play, The Life and Death of Harry I, which told the story of King Henry I, the twelfth century king of England. You can read more about this play in the entry for 26 May.

Today's box office for Harry I is dismal and this is its last appearance in the Diary. The play has never shown much promise and the company may be glad to let it go.

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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13 June, 1597 - Uther Pendragon

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

Henslowe writes: 13 | tt at pendragon ... | 01 | 00

In modern English: 13^th [June, 1597] ... total at Pendragon ... £1 [i.e. 20 shillings]

Uther Pendragon and Merlin, from British
Library manuscript Royal 20 A II
(early 14th century)

Today, the Admiral's Men revived Uther Pendragon, their lost play about the father of King Arthur. You can read more about this play in the entry for 29 April.

This is the last appearance of Uther Pendragon in Henslowe's Diary. That doesn't necessarily mean they will never perform it again (the Diary will come to an end later this year), but the play's box office has never lived up to its exciting premise, so it may be time to say goodbye forever.

Henslowe links

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

Comments?

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27 May, 1597 - A Woman Hard to Please

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

Henslowe writes: 27 | tt at womon hard to pleasse | 00 | 05 

In  modern English: 27^th [May, 1597] ... total at Woman Hard to Please ... 5 shillings

A woman looks deeply unimpressed by her
rescuer in Paolo Uccello's St George and
the Dragon (c.1470)

Today, for the last time, the Admiral's Men revived their enigmatic lost play, A Woman Hard to Please. You can read more about this play in the entry for 27 January.

The company has waited two and a half weeks to bring back A Woman Hard to Please, but the box office is absolutely terrible for today's performance.

This is the last record of a performance of A Woman Hard to Please in Henslowe's Diary. The play began in January with a strong premiere, and for a while the company pushed it hard, with frequent performances that received solid audiences. But over the last few weeks the box office has cratered, and the company has performed it less often. They have clearly decided that it has delighted London long enough. 

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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23 April, 1597 - Guido

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

Henslowe writes: 23 | tt at gvido | 00 | 16

In modern English: 23^rd [April, 1597] ... total at Guido ... 16 shillings

Guido Cavalcanti, one
of the possible subjects
of this play, in a painting
by Cristofano dell'Altissimo 

Today, for the last time, the Admiral's Men performed Guido, an enigmatic lost play that might have been about the poet Guido Cavalcanti. You can read more about this play in the entry for 19 March.

This is a surprise: Guido's appearance today is its last one in the Diary, after only five performances. The play had been returning solid box office, but the Admiral's Men have ignored it for nearly three weeks, and today's audience is smaller. Many other plays have done far worse, but for some reason the company will decide that this one is not worth their time. Farewell Guido, we hardly knew you! 

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 24 April was a Sunday in 1597 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 25th - see you then!

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?

Did I make a mistake? Do you have a question? Have you anything to add? Please post a comment below!

1 April, 1597 - The Blind Beggar of Alexandria

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

Henslowe writes: Aprelle 1597| 1 | tt at blinde beger ... | 00 | 05

In modern English: 1^st April, 1597 ... Received at Blind Beggar ... 5 shillings

Beggars in Alexandria; an undated photograph
from Brooklyn Museum's Lantern Slide Collection

Today, for the last time on record, the Admiral's Men revived The Blind Beggar of Alexandria, George Chapman's comedy about a master of disguise. You can read more about this play in the entry for 12 February, 1596.

The Blind Beggar of Alexandria was once immensely popular, but today's takings are dismal, representing an almost empty theatre. The Admiral's Men seem to have decided that this play has run its course, because this is its last appearance in Henslowe's list of performances. 

That doesn't mean that all is over for the blind beggar, however. Next year, in 1598, the playtext will be published for readers to enjoy. And in 1601, the Admiral's Men will restage it in their new playhouse, the Fortune; Henslowe will record the purchasing of new costumes for it, made by "Radford, the little tailor". 

For now, though, we must say farewell to this manic comedy and wait to see what will replace it...

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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22 March, 1597 - Nebuchadnezzar

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

Henslowe writes: 21 | tt at nabucadnazer ... | 00 | 05

In modern English: [22nd March, 1597] ... total at Nebuchadnezzar ... 5 shillings

Nebuchadnezzar's dream
of the tree, from
Speculum Humanae
Salvationis, a 15th-
century French manuscript

Today, for the last time, the Admiral's Men performed Nebuchadnezzar, their Biblical drama about the Babylonian king whose dreams were interpreted by the prophet Daniel. You can read more about this play in the entry for 18 December, 1596. 

Despite being a relatively recent addition to the repertory, Nebuchadnezzar will not be staged again after today. It has never received very good box office, and the company has clearly decided that it is not worth their time. Farewell, dreaming king!

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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7 February, 1597 - Osric

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

Henslowe writes: Shrove mvnday | 7 | tt at oserycke ... | 00 | 14 

In modern English: Shrove Monday ... 7^th [February, 1597] ... total at Osric ... 14 shillings

It's Shrove Monday, a day for eating eggs and bacon in advance of the fasting period of Lent! Today, the Admiral's Men performed Osric, a play they had re-introduced to the repertory a few days ago; we know nothing about the subject matter of this lost play, but you can read more about it here.

Effigy of Osric, King of Hwicce, in Gloucester
Cathedral. Photo: Andrew R. Abbot, CC BY-SA 3.0

Shrove Monday does not tend to result in noticeably high box office; it seems to have ben a day for eating but not playgoing, and the box office for Osric is unimpressive.

Curiously enough, this is the final appearance of Osric in Henslowe's Diary, even though we have seen it only once before. For whatever reason, the company has revived it twice and then decided never to repeat the experiment. So, farewell, Osric! 

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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28 January, 1597 - Long Meg of Westminster

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

Henslowe writes: 28 | tt at long mege | 0 | 07

In modern English: 28^th [January, 1597] ... total at Long Meg ... 7 shillings

Long Meg, from
a 1750 edition
of the jest-book

Today, for the last time, the Admiral's Men revived Long Meg of Westminster, their play about the Amazonian warrior woman of London legend. You can read more about this play in the entry for 14 February, 1595.

Long Meg has not been seen at the Rose since the end of November. Despite its promising subject matter, it rarely attracted large audiences and today's crowd is tiny. The company seems to have decided to give up on it, as today is its last recorded appearance. Farewell, Long Meg!

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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13 November, 1596 - Tamar Cam

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 13 of novmbȝ 1596 ... R at  tambercame ... xvij^s

In modern English: 13^th November, 1596 ... Received at Tamar Cam ... 17 shillings

Today, for the last time that we know of, the Admiral's Men revived Tamar Cam, a lost play that told of war and wizardry during the exploits of the Mongol conqueror Hulagu Khan; you can read more about it in the entry for 28th April 1592.

The two Tamar Cam plays have been around for a long time; we first encountered them four years ago in 1592, at the premiere of the sequel premiered, but the original already existed. We saw that they may have been created to replicate the popular Tamburlaine plays by Christopher Marlowe. At the end of 1594, the company seems to have acquired the right to revive Tamburlaine itself,  and Tamar Cam was thus set aside. But the revival of Tamburlaine wasn't very successful either. Back in May of this year; the company returned to Tamar Cam again, but that revival too didn't do very well.

One cannot help but suspect that plays about Mongol conquerors are now considered old hat by the audience, and the company has thus decided to bid farewell to Tamar Cam. However, the plays have not gone for good; in 1602, it will be performed by another company at the Fortune playhouse in north London.

Persian illustration of Hulagu Khan (the likely inspiration for Tamar Cam) and his Christian wife

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because November 14 was  Sunday in 1596 and the players did not petform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 15th for what will turn to be a mysteriously curtailed week. See you then!

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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