1. The Elizabethan Era 1558-1603, England
War victories over Spanish Armada
Exploration Success
Literary Success
Trade markets expanded
All of this resulted in a very strong English pride

2. Theatre Players & Haters
Lord Mayor, Puritans & Other Civil Authorities:
Crowds would spread disease & start fights
“dens of iniquity”
Hated theatre
Closed them down after Elizabeth I- James I- Charles I’s reigns
Arrested actors & audience members
Queen Elizabeth I:
Commanded court performances
Court sponsorship
Approved of dramatic activity

3. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Theatre-
-First theatre built during this time
-Built in 1576 by James Burbage
-Held 1,500 people
-Built outside of London
-15,000 theatre goers per week

4. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
All had a wooden O structure
Round or octagonal shape
2-3 tiers of galleries
Open court in the middle

5. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Stages:
-large platform with trapdoors
-elevated by 4-6 feet
-discovery spaces: a space hidden by doors onstage that could be opened to reveal another scene.
-tiring houses

6. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Stages:
-4 Levels
>2nd: “inner above” balcony & terrace
>3rd: Musician space
>4th: “the hut” held stage machinery for special effects

7. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Productions:
-held in the afternoon (daylight as lighting system)
-Raised Flag (white: comedy, black: tragedy)
-Plays= movies, novels, radio, tv, newspapers, internet, etc. all rolled into one

8. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Productions:
-atmosphere: loud & boisterous
-groudling: a poor spectator in the cheap standing room section of an Elizabethan Theatre.
-lords & ladies: sat in the seats in the galleries & sometimes onstage
-Everyone attended (Rich & Poor)
-Food sold & sometimes thrown

9. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Productions:
-Used some sound effects
>cannon that burnt down the Globe in 1613
-Costumes were normally clothes from the era
>due to the patrons that funded them
>except for fairies, witches, lawyers & churchmen

10. Elizabethan Theatres:
The Elizabethan Era
Elizabethan Theatres:
The Actors
-All men & young boys whose voices had not yet changed
-strenuous job
>due to the singing, fighting, fencing, & dancing normally involved
-Edward Alleyn & Richard Burbage were two of the most popular actors of the time

11. The Elizabethan Era The Playwrights -Different types of writing
Wrote with great freedom
Did NOT focus on unities of time & place
Had violence onstage
Mixed things up
-Different types of writing
-Comedy & tragedy

12. The Elizabethan Era The Fashion Ruffles= status in society
Wanted to look as petite as possible
Wanted to look like the men: broad shoulders, wide hips, slim waists

13. The Elizabethan Era The Fashion Gorgeous and elaborate
Queen Elizabeth= the perfect model
- 300 gowns
several hundred other costumes/ state apparel
Puffy sleeves
Dresses with tight-fitting bodices
mirroring the prosperity and energy of the age
English dress became increasingly exaggerated, following the eccentric tastes of the aging queen

14. The Elizabethan Era The Food -Dinner @ 11 or 12
Generally, people ate 2 meals:
11 or 12
around 6
Sweets were popular with nobility
Poorer people had a healthier diet
Bread was always readily available
mirroring the prosperity and energy of the age
English dress became increasingly exaggerated, following the eccentric tastes of the aging queen

15. The Elizabethan Era Project
Perform a Scene from an Elizabethan Play
Elizabethan Food
Elizabethan Fashion
Theatre Design
mirroring the prosperity and energy of the age
English dress became increasingly exaggerated, following the eccentric tastes of the aging queen
Advertising for an Elizabethan Play
Elizabethan Sports

16. The Elizabethan Era Project
era.org.uk/elizabethan- england.htm
/england.html
landlife.com/index.html
mirroring the prosperity and energy of the age
English dress became increasingly exaggerated, following the eccentric tastes of the aging queen
sall/mod/1577harrison- england.html
landlife.com/index.html