Shakespeare's role in theatre

by Gwen Herat

An illustration of the London Bridge in 1627 by Claude de Longe. The Globe and Hope Theatres are on the far right.

The cultural diversity and the confusion that was evidently felt, needed to be interpreted on stage and removed from roadside shows as was during Shakespeare's time. Where and how to start became the major issue. It was revelatory. The point of view of the theatre was like a monarch of a toppled regime. It involved the attempt to resolve a paradox and be faithful to Shakespeare plays which process was central. Traditions continued to dominate but the play's limitations became excessively a problem for the lack of permanent settings for staging the plays. Actors trudged the countryside playing in the open and market places until James Barbage changed the scenario.

He secured a permanent patent for a London company and built an outdoor theatre in 1576 and called it the theatre of the day where later Lord Chamberlaine's men who were in Shakespeare's company would eventually perform. The theatre was not free but was subject to opposition by those who resented the Bard. However, with fixed players, the idea caught on. Plays such as the Curtain, the Swan, the Fortune and the Rose became popular. And Shakespeare rose to prominence.

Later, the actors were to face problems with the fast developing professional companies. However, with the traditional social structure, theatre-going developed into a craze by the end of the century, protected by Queen Elizabeth.

There was no stopping Shakespeare

James Barbage built a theatre to the north of the city and by 1594 Lord Chamberlain's Men including Shakespeare were residents in the theatre. The Globe was on the North and the Rose on the Sound bank of River Thames which was a part of Surray. There was also the Blackfriars that had been a monastery outside the city authority. Their functions were different but with a single goal; to popularise Shakespeare plays.

The ideas and dreams flourished when one by one, a dedication to Shakespeare flowered, from one small theatre to another. They became the landmark of future generations, as we see the magnificent Royal Shakespeare Theatre a testimony to the greatest poet that ever lived. Like his humble beginnings the theatre too fought its way simultaneously to preserve English that was to make a world of difference from classroom to academics of high calibre. The literary scene buzzed and with a new vocabulary, unprecedented dialogues were written in Shakespearean English. And there was the theatre 'live to the audiences not only in England but around the world, from generation to generation and from century to century.

The Globe

People felt a new experience because the theatre favoured two things above all the others: actors and the spoken word. It was difficult for actors to establish a sense of place as the play required, as there were no sets. Girls had to play boys in the plays and the back-up music was scarce; emotions and feelings were lost as most of the time actors had to raise their voices from market places or the roadside. But the people displayed a growing appreciation and the actors' power required the active co-operation of the audience which played along.

The indoor hall-type theatres were boring and admission charges were low. There was a recess but not before the Barbage brothers made a unique deal for the short capital in 1599 with leading shareholders of the actors' company. There were five, and one was Shakespeare's Globe. The new deal secured for Lord Chamberlain's Men stability and self-determination. In 1603, Lord Chamberlain's Men came to be known as King's Men and remained intact until 1642. Shakespeare and his plays established going from strength to strength.

Opposition

Somehow, everything did not go well by 1642, when those opposed to the theatre, got it closed down. When they reopened in 1660 they were different to those of Shakespeare. However, in the last years of his life, he was able to have the indoor theatre at Blackfriars with the Tempest reflecting its different resources. But his company still played at the Globe. Unfortunately, the open air theatres did not survive into the 17th century. From 1660 Shakespeare's plays had to be adapted to suit and accommodate different kinds of theatres as well as taste.

In the 17th century Shakespeare's plays gave the impression of popularity without knowing why. Critics and scholars were on to a neo-classical literature theory which of course, Shakespeare cheerfully flouted.

Shakespeare demonstrated his skills which at times let him be an exception to the neo-classical doctrine, but at other times he reworked them to fit their taste. Shakespeare had the capacity to evolve around the unsung and unpolished mess left behind by his critics who by now had faded out of the scene.

But the order had not changed because the Restoration actor still enjoyed something of his Elizabethan predecessors' intimacy with the audience. Most important at that time, 'he' was also now a 'she'. Gone were the days that boys acted girls' roles. It was Margaret Hughes who initiated the profession of actress-playing by acting as Desdemona in 1660.

Still, everything was not clear for the stage. It was hugely expensive to create new sets of scenery and players often just used what was available as props. The tradition continued to dominate the acting of Shakespeare plays and actors were faced with the limitation on time and cultural conservatism of the 18th century.

In 1741 Charles Macklin scored a massive hit as Shylock when he first played the role followed by David Garrick who played Richard III in a London debut from an adaptation by Colley Cibber and later as a redefined Shylock. There was still no assumption that performance needed to be organised. One role after another when mounted on stage, enhanced the importance of Shakespeare's dialogue. People enjoyed a collective identity and his plays became extremely popular as part of London life.

Stratford-upon-Avon brings us to Daniel Baker, the puritan High Baliff who banned players from the town in Shakespeare's lifetime.

For over a century after his death, there were few performances in Stratford until 1746 when a touring company led by John Ward who was the grandfather of John Phillip Kemble and Sarah Siddons, presented Othello in the Old Town Hall.

Slowly and steadily the plays merged on and off until David Garrick mounted a Shakespeare 'Jubilee'. The still flourishing Shakespeare Club was founded in 1824, and in 1827 a small theatre was opened in Chapel Lane only to be put down the following year.

In March 1926, a mysterious fire destroyed the old building leaving only the library and the picture gallery. With generous donations from America the building was restored to the present Shakespeare Memorial Association and was opened by the Prince of Wales on Shakespeare's birthday, April 23.