Here's what the
Admiral's Men performed at the
Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...
Henslowe writes: ye 4 of septmbȝ 1595 ... R at olempeo and hengenyo ... xviijs
In modern English: 4th September, 1595 ... Received at Olympio and Eugenio ... 18 shillings
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| Portrait of Two Friends by Pontormo (1524) |
Today's entry is confusing. In previous months, Henslowe has recorded a lost play called
Seleo and Olympo, which he often calls simply
Olympo (you can learn more about it in
the entry for 5 March). From today onward, he will record one called
Olympio and Eugenio, which he will often call simply
Olympio, and was apparently not new.
Is this the same play, with Henslowe's perception of its title evolving? Probably, since it would be odd to drop one play and replace a it with another having such a similar title. But, as Martin Wiggins points out in his catalogue of British Drama, it may be significant that Henslowe consistently records the main character's name as
Olympo or
Olympio respectively, which might suggest him distinguishing two different plays.
All of this is splitting hairs, however, because we know absolutely nothing about the content of either play. And the box office for today was terrible, suggesting that Londoners didn't care either way.
FURTHER READING
Olympio and Eugenio information
- Martin Wiggins, British Drama, 1533-1642: A Catalogue, vol. 3 (Oxford University Press, 2013), entry 996.
Henslowe links
Comments?
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