23 December, 1596 - Vortigern

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 24 of desembȝ 1596 ... R at valteger ... xij^s 

In modern English: [23^rd] December, 1596 ... Received at Vortigern ... 12 shillings

Vortigern in his burning
castle. From a 14th-century
manuscript of Peter of
Langtoft's Chronicle of
England.  

Today, the Admiral's Men performed Vortigern, their play about the legendary British king whose actions brought about the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. you can read more about this play in the entry for 4th December. 

After five performances, the box office receipts of Vortigern are collapsing. But perhaps that is only to be expected; after all this is still the season of advent, in which Londoners are expected to be sober and restrained. Soon, Christmas will begin, and that is a time for indulgences such as theatre-going. Maybe things are about to improve for the Admiral's Men?

What's next?

Henslowe records no more performances until 27 December, so Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return then, for the 1596 Christmas season at the Rose. 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!