5 May, 1595 - A Knack to Know an Honest Man

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 5 of maye 1595 ... R at the knacke ... xxiij^s

In modern English: 5^th May, 1595 ... Received at The Knack ... 23 shillings

Two  Young Venetian Men (anon., 1515)

Today, the Admiral's Men have revived A Knack to Know an Honest Man, their comical moral romance set in Venice. You can read more about this play in the entry for 23rd October, 1594.

The company last performed this play two weeks ago during Easter Week, when the holidays crowds produced a large audience. Today's is smaller, reflecting the relative lack of interest in this play during a normal week.
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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, 1595 - The French Doctor

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 3 maye 1595 ... R at the frenshe docter ... xj^s 

In modern English: 3^rd May, 1595 ... Received at The French Doctor ... 11 shillings

A French Physician, byMatthew Darly, 1771

Today, the Admiral's Men revived The French Doctor, a lost play that you can read more about in the entry for 19 October.

At the beginning of the last week, the company opened their new season with The French Doctor, and the excitement combined with the Easter holidays drew a large crowd. Today's performance is much more typical of this play's fortunes, with only a tiny audience showing up to see whatever medical mirth it contained.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 4th May was a Sunday in 1595 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 5th for a week that will include a new play and a farewell. 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!

2 May, 1595 - Seleo and Olympo

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 2 of maye 1595 ... R at  seleo & olempa ... l^s 

In modern English: 2^nd May, 1595 ... Received at Seleo and Olympo ... 50 shillings

Portrait of Two Friends by Pontormo (1524)

Today, the Admiral's Men revived Seleo and Olympo, a lost play about which we know nothing at all except that it must have been about two men.You can read more about it in the entry for 5 March.

The company premiered this play to great success back in March, but the closing of the theatre during Lent has meant that they were unable to play it a second time. Today's revival has attracted a large crowd to the Rose, so the premiere must have inspire positive word of mouth.

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 May, 1595 - Long Meg of Westminster

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 1 of maye 1595 ... R at longe mege ... l^s

In modern English: 1^st May, 1595 ... Received at Long Meg ...  50 shillings

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

Today was May Day, a public holiday! With Londoners back in a festive mood after Easter, the Admiral's Men have returned to 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.

Long Meg has not been as successful as its fun premise might have suggested, but the boost of the May Day holiday has rewarded it with a large audience today. 

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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30 April, 1595 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 31 of ap^rell 1595 ... R at fastes ... xxij^s 

In modern English: [30^th] April, 1595 ... Received at Faustus ... 22 shillings

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today, Admiral's Men returned to Christopher Marlowe's famous tragedy Dr Faustus, in which a scholar summons a demon and sells his soul to the devil. You can read more about this play in the entry for 2 October.

The Admiral's Men had restored the classic Dr Faustus to the stage last year, but it was never as successful as its contemporary fame might suggest. Today's performance continues that trend, with a below-average crowd 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?

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29 April, 1595 - Long Meg of Westminster

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 30 of ap^rell 1595 ... R at longe mege ... xxvij^s

In modern English: [29^th] April, 1595 ... Received at Long Meg ...  27 shillings

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

Today, the Admiral's Men returned to 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.

Long Meg was mostly very successful during its short run earlier in the year, but today's performance would have been a disappointment to the company, as the audience size remains resolutely average. 

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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!

28 April, 1595 - Warlamchester

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 29 of ap^rell 1595 ... R at warlamchester ... xxix^s 

In modern English: [28^th] April, 1595 ... Received at Warlamchester ... 29 shillings

The martyrdom of St Alban, from a 13th century
manuscript by Matthew Paris

Today, the Admiral's Men performed again their lost play Warlamchester, which was probably about the martyrdom of St Alban during the Roman persecutions of Christians.You can read more about this play in the entry for 28 November.

The company had performed Warlamchester three times at the end of last year. It had never been especially successful but they are now trying it out again. The Easter holidays are over, though, and the audience sizes have returned to the average for the Rose, which is a half-full theatre.

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!