Queen Elizabeth I and English Theater

Queen Elizabeth I and the Theater

• Queen Elizabeth I was a prominent supporter of the Theater during her reign.
• The companies of players were organized by aristocrats and performed seasonally in many places.
• These players were called professional players and performed on the Elizabeth stage.

Early English Plays

• Ferrex and Porrex was an English play first performed at the Christmas celebration in 1561.
• It was performed before Queen Elizabeth I on 28 January 1562 by the Gentleman of the Inner Temple.

William Shakespeare

• William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor, regarded as the greatest writer and dramatist in the world.
• He was baptized on April 26, 1564, and died on April 23, 1616.
• He was often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".
• His works consist of about 38 plays.

Shakespeare's Tragedies

• The four tragedies considered to be Shakespeare's greatest works are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.

Shakespeare's History Plays

• Shakespeare's history plays depicted English or European history.
• His plays were about the lives of kings, such as Richard III and Henry V.
• Other notable plays included Christopher Marlowe's Edward II and George Peele's famous Chronicle of King Edward the First.

Ballet in the Elizabethan Era

• Ballet was performed in public for the first time during this period.
• One notable example was Ballet de la nuit.