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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5 January, 1597 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 5 of Jenewary 1597 ... R at docterfostes ... v^s

In modern English: 5^th January, 1597 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 5 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October, 1594.

Dr Faustus was last seen at the Rose three weeks ago, and its box office keeps getting worse. There seems to be little mileage left in this old classic. 

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 December, 1596 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 17 of desembȝ 1596 ... R at docterfostes ... ix^s

In modern English: [16^th] December, 1596 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 9 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October, 1594.

Dr Faustus was last seen at the Rose a month and a half ago. The company is continue to revive this old classic, but one cannot help suspecting that they are doing so only for sentimental reasons; today's box office is dreadful. 

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because Henslowe records no performance, for unknown reasons. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 18th, when there will be a bit of mild excitement 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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4 November, 1596 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 4 of novmbȝ 1596 ... R at doctor fostes ... xvij^s

In modern English: 4^th November, 1596 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 17 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October.

After a relatively successful performance a week ago, the company has rushed Dr Faustus back to the stage, but today's mediocre box office is more typical of the fortunes of this over-familiar play. 

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 October, 1596 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 28 of octobȝ 1596 ... R at doctore foster ... xxvij^s

In modern English: 28^th October, 1596 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 27 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October.

For their second day back at the Rose, the company has chosen to return to this very familiar classic. Marlowe's play does not always pull the crowds ike it used to, but today the theatre is almost half full, which is nothing to sneeze at.

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 July, 1596 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 3 of July 1596 ... R at fostes... xiiij^s

In modern English: 3^rd July, 1596 ... Received at Faustus ... 14 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October.

The company has waited three weeks to return Dr Faustus to the stage and it continues to attract only small audiences. This classic seems to be past its sell-by date.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 4 July was a Sunday in 1596 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 5th. 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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12 June, 1596 - Dr Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 12 of June 1596 ... R at doctor fostes... xvij^s

In modern English: 12^th June, 1596 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 17shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October.

The company has waited over a month to return Dr Faustus to the stage. But London's theatregoers do not appear to have been missing this old and shopworn play.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 13 June was a Sunday in 1596 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 14th. 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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6 May, 1596 - Dr Faustus

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 1596 ... R at docter ffostes... xx^s

In modern English: [6^th] May, 1596 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 20 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October.

The company has waited two and a half weeks to return Dr Faustus to the stage. Its box office is slightly better, but still unimpressive.

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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19 April, 1596 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 189 of ap^rell 1596 ... R at doctor fostes ... xij^s

In modern English: 19^th April, 1596 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 12 shillings

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 it in the entry for 2 October.

As so often, the box office for Dr Faustus does not match its fame, and today's audience is very small indeed.

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!

13 February, 1596 - Dr Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 13 of febreary 1595 ... R at fosstes ... xxv

In modern English: 13^th February, [1596] ... Received at Faustus ... 25 shillings

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

It's back! After nearly a five month absence from the stage, Dr Faustus has today returned to the Rose. Christopher Marlowe's famous tragedy tells the tale of a scholar who summons a demon and sells his soul to the devil. You can read more about it in the entry for 2 October.

The company has rested the legendary necromancer for a long time after his box office dwindled to almost nothing, but they have now decided it is worth trying again. Today's box office is not very impressive, though - much better than September, but still below the average for the Rose.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow, because for some reason Henslowe records no performance. Neither will there be one the day after, because 15 February was a Sunday in 1596 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 16th. 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!

27 September, 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 26 of septmbȝ 1595 ... R at docter fostes ... xiij

In modern English: [27^th] September, 1595 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 13 shillings

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today, the 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 company has waited a fortnight to restage Dr Faustus. After some signs of renewed enthusiasm last time, the theatre today is nearly empty. The players may need to make a pact with the devil to rejuvenate this old play.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 28 September was a Sunday in 1595 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 29th for a week that will include a new play!

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!

10 September, 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 11 of septmbȝ 1595 ... R at doctor fostes ... xxx^s ij

In modern English: [10^th] September, 1595 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 30 shillings and tuppence

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today, the 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 company has not performed Dr Faustus since June. Its box office had often been low back then, but today the half-full theatre shows some renewed enthusiasm for this classic play.

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!

5 June, 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 5 of June 1595 ... R at doctor ffostus ... xvij^s 

In modern English: 5^th June, 1595 ... Received at Doctor Faustus ... 17 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 company has waited over a month to return Dr Faustus to the stage, but the audience is still very small.  They must be wondering whether to say goodbye to this classic play, despite its iconic status.

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!

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?

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

8 February, 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 8 of February 1594 ... R at docter fostes ... xviij^s 

In modern English: 8^th February, 1595 ... Received at Dr Faustus ... 18 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 players seem now to be in a groove of performing Dr Faustus once a fortnight. Its box office is sliding downward, however, so the play's glory days appear to be over. We need some new plays at this theatre!

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow because 9 February was a Sunday in 1595 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on 10 February for a week that will include two new plays!

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!

24 January, 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 24 of Jenewary  1594 ... R at docter fostes ... xxiiij^s 

In modern English: 24^th January, 1595 ... Received at Dr Faustus ... 24 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 players have revived Dr Faustus two weeks after its last performance. Unlike some other plays that have seen an improvement this week, Faustus continues to chug along with below-average audiences.

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!

9 January, 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 9 of Jenewary  1594 ... R at docter fostes ... xxij^s 

In modern English: 9^th January, 1595 ... Received at Dr 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.

After a very successful performance during the Christmas season, the box office for Dr Faustus has returned to its normal situation of being slightly disappointing for such a famous play. 

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 December, 1594 - Doctor Faustus and Greenwich Palace

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 27 of desembȝ  1594 ... R at docter fostes ... lij^s 

In modern English: [28^th] December, 1594 ... Received at Dr Faustus ... 52 shillings

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today was the Feast of the Holy Innocents, a holiday honouring the infants murdered by King Herod. The Admiral's Men have opted to stage 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.

After a series of extremely disappointing performances, Dr Faustus and his demonic entourage have roared back onto the stage to an almost full Rose. The reason for this success is of course the Christmas season, as Londoners flock to the theatre for some festive necromantic tragedy. 

According to court records, the players also performed to Queen Elizabeth at Greenwich today. They'll do this two more times this Christmas, so I'll write more about these visits later.

What's next? 

There will be no blog entry tomorrow, because 29th December was a Sunday in 1594 and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 30th and we'll see the rest of the Christmas season!

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!

20 December, 1594 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 20 of desembȝ  1594 ... R at docter fostes ... xviij^s 

In modern English: 20^th December, 1594 ... Received at Dr Faustus ... 18 shillings

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today, the Admiral's Men staged 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.

This has been a week of nothing but Marlowe at the Rose, although admittedly, the players have not been performing every day. Dr Faustus continues to disappoint though, lacking the boost that Tamburlaine received from the return of its sequel (a sequel to Faustus is less easy to imagine...)


What's next? 

There will be no blog entries for a few days - Henslowe's Diary suggests that the players took some time off, perhaps to relax before the busy Christmas season. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on Boxing Day for some festive frivolities. 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!

9 December, 1594 - Doctor Faustus

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 8 of desembȝ  1594 ... R at docter fostus ... xv^s 

In modern English: [9^th] December, 1594 ... Received at Dr Faustus ... 15 shillings

Faustus summoning Mephistopheles: from the
1616 text of the play 

Today, the Admiral's Men staged 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 company has waited 3 weeks before performing Dr Faustus, in what is proving a rather disappointing return for the old warhorse. The small audiences of Advent are not helping matters either.

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!