9 April 1597 - Alexander and Lodowick

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

Henslowe writes: 9 | tt at lodwicke & elexsand ... | 00 | 14

In modern English: 9^th [May, 1597] ... received at Lodowick and Alexander ... 14 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, 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 again waited a fortnight to revive Alexander and Lodwick, having apparently demoted it from its once-a-week status. The box office has sunk again after an improvement last time.

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 May, 1597 - Uther Pendragon

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

Henslowe writes: 7 | tt at pendragon ... | 00 | 14

In modern English: 7^th [May, 1597] ... total at Pendragon ... 14 shillings

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

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

For its third performance, the company has again rushed Uther Pendragon back to the stage. But the box office is already dismal. The company has not had a mega-hit for a long time, and it seems this play is not the one that will change things.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 8 May was a Sunday in 1597 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 9th for a week that will include a rather special new play. 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!

6 May, 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: 6 | tt at v playes in one | 00 | 16

In modern English: 6^th [May, 1597] ... total at Five Plays in One ... 16 shillings

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

Today, the Admiral's Men 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. 

The company has waited a week and a half to return the five playlets to the Rose. But the box office has now plummeted to half what it was. Value for money is clearly not much of an enticement.

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 May, 1597 - A French Comedy

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

Henslowe writes: 5 | tt at frenshe comodey ...  | 01 | 07

In modern English: 5 [May, 1597] ... total at French Comedy ... £1 and 7 shillings [i.e. 27 shillings]

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

Today, 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 been staging A French Comedy more frequently than any other play. Today's box office is slightly higher than the last, and overall it has shown remarkable consistency.

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 May, 1597 - Hieronimo

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

Henslowe writes: 4 | tt at Jorenymo ... | 00 | 11

In modern English: 4^th [May, 1597] ... total at Hieronimo ... 11 shillings 

Woodcut from the 1615 edition of The Spanish Tragedy.

Today, the Admiral's Men 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 this play in the entry for 14th March, 1592.

The company has waited two weeks to return this classic to the stage after a much longer break beforehand, but these unpredictable revivals are making no difference to the slow but inexorable decline of the box office. 

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 May, 1597 - Uther Pendragon

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

Henslowe writes: 4 3 | tt at vterpendragon ... | 01 | 05

In modern English: 3^rd [May, 1597] ... total at Uther Pendragon ... £1 and 5 shillings [i.e. 25 shillings]

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

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

The company has rushed back Uther Pendragon after its premiere four days ago. But the results are disappointing, as the Rose is less than half full. Dragons, wars and blazing stars do not seem to be enough to pack a theatre these days. 

 

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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2 May, 1597 - A French Comedy

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

Henslowe writes: Maye 1597 | 2 | tt at frenshe comodey ...  | 01 | 00

In modern English: 2 May, 1597 ... total at French Comedy ... £1 [i.e. 20 shillings]

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

Today, 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 Admiral's Men must be cursing their ill luck: yesterday's May Day holiday fell on a Sunday when they weren't allowed to perform. Today's staging of A French Comedy is thus just another day in May, and the box office is gradually shrinking. 

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!