Episodes
April 8, 2024
Dionysus and Xanthias: The First Double Act
Episode 115: A dive back into Ancient Greek theatre with a look at 'The Frogs' by Aristophanes. A recap on the life and plays of Aristophanes. A summary of the plot of the play. Analysis of the main points raised by the play…
April 1, 2024
From the English Renaissance to Shakespeare and Jonson
Episode 114: As an introduction to season six of the podcast in the first part of this episode I lay out the aims for the next season and the approach I will be taking to the monoliths of early English theatre tha tare Shake…
Jan. 9, 2024
Adventures In Theatre History Philadelphia with Peter Schmitz
A bonus episode where Peter Schmitz of the 'Adventures In Theatre History - Philadelphia' podcast takes us through an overview of the development of theatre in Philadelphia. Peter Schmitz is an actor, dialect coach, and teac…
Jan. 2, 2024
Schedule Announcement
A short New Year message and about the timing for the start of season six of the podcast. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Dec. 26, 2023
Coda: The Life of Augustine Phillips
Episode 113: As a coda to season 5 this episode is a potted history of the life of Augustine Phillips, player in the Lord Chamberlin's Men, with the details taken from documented records. Support the podcast at: www.thehisto…
Dec. 11, 2023
English Renaissance Conclusions (sort of)
Episode 112: To close season five of the podcast I pick up three items I dropped in the previous narrative and then offer some concluding thoughts: Thomas Watson – the life and works of the possible co-author of ‘Arden of Fa…
Nov. 27, 2023
Arden of Faversham and the Domestic Tragedy
Episode 111: The true story behind 'Arden of Faversham' The plot outline of the play Is the domestic tragedy really tragedy? The main themes of the play The domestic eating of the play The low characters The role of destiny …
Nov. 13, 2023
The Play’s the Thing: Elizabethan Acting Style and Stage Conventions
Episode 110: The problems of the lack of evidence about conventions and acting style. How a player learned his craft. The rhetorical or performance style of acting. Theatre as a poetic form. The rhetorical style is overtaken…
Oct. 30, 2023
The Star Players: Kemp. Alleyn and Burbage
Episode 109: We don't know a lot about individual players of the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage, but there are three stars of the day that we have some information about. Richard Tarlton, the Queen’s favourite comic player. …
Oct. 16, 2023
Thomas Dekker: London's Playwright
Episode 108: The second part of the story of Thomas Dekker and his works 'Old Fortunas' - Dekker's first known play ‘The Honest Whore’, a good example of what was good and bad in Dekker’s work. ‘The Civil Wars in France’ - t…
Oct. 2, 2023
Thomas Dekker: Gulls, Gallants and the London Playhouse
Episode 107: In the first of two episodes on Thomas Dekker I discuss his earliest life and his prose works. Dekker's early life and first forays into the playhouse. His prose work 'The Wonderful Year' The Gull's Handbook - w…
Sept. 18, 2023
Henslowe’s Diary
Episode 106: We have the detail about the way a London playhouse functioned thanks, in a large part, to one document. Theatre owner Philip Henslowe kept a record of many aspects of his enterprise at the Rose theatre from 15…
Sept. 11, 2023
Drag: A British History - A Conversation with Jacob Bloomfield
Bonus Episode 31 Guest Jacob Bloomfield discusses his book 'Drag: A British History', with particular reference to Arthur Lucan (AKA Old Mother Riley), the drag review shows that came out of both WW1 and WW2 concert parties …
Sept. 4, 2023
Thomas Kid and the Spanish Tragedy
Episode 105: The life of Thomas Kyd, including a word on Elizabethan schooling. Thomas Nashe on Kyd. Kyd and the London playwright set. Kyd and Lord Strange. Questions over the first performances of ‘The Spanish Tragedy’. Is…
Aug. 21, 2023
Two Globes, a Fortune, a White Friar and Hope: The London Playhouses 1587 – 1642 part 2
Episode 104: Continuing the story of the Elizabethan theatre buildings. The construction of The Globe Master carpenter Peter Street The death of The Globe The Fortune - Henslowe's replacement for The Rose The Whitefriars The…
Aug. 7, 2023
Two Blackfriars, a Curtain, a Rose and a Swan: The London Playhouses 1587 – 1642 part 1
Episode 103: The story of the next phase of theatre building in Elizabethan London featuring the indoor and outdoor playhouses. The First Blackfriars Theatre The Curtain Philip Henslowe The Rose Francis Langley The Swan The …
July 24, 2023
The Elizabethan Playing Troupes
Episode 102: The sources of information on the playing troupes. The Earl of Leicester’s Men – the earliest recorded acting troupe. How troupes operated under the patronage of their master. The royal patent and how it changed…
July 10, 2023
Edward 2nd & The Jew of Malta: The Rest of Marlow
Episode 101: How Marlowe’s other plays differ from Tamburlaine and Dr Faustus. The plot of ‘The Jew of Malta’. The depiction of Barabbas the Jew and how it might have been received by the audience. ‘Edward 2nd’ as a history …
July 3, 2023
400 Years of the First Folio: Part 3 The Folio In The World
As my own small contribution to the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the printing of the first folio of Shakespeare's plays in this third and final episode of a short mini-series I look at the printing and selling of…
June 26, 2023
Dr Faustus: Wisdom, Power, and the Immortal Soul
Episode 100: Dr Faustus is one of the most influential plays of the Elizabethan period. Most commentators see this play as Marlowe’s masterpiece, and it is certainly the most performed of his plays through the centuries. Th…
June 19, 2023
400 Years of the First Folio: Part 2 Creating the Folio
As my own small contribution to the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the printing of the first folio of Shakespeare's plays in this second episode of a short mini-series I look at the inspiration and motivations for …
June 12, 2023
The Two parts of Tamburlaine the Great
Episode 99: Marlowe’s ‘Tamburlaine the Great’ is a play in two parts, an early example of a writer responding to popular acclaim by giving his audience more of the same, but for all of that mercenary motivation, and the fact…
June 5, 2023
400 Years of the First Folio: Part 1 The Folio on Display
As my own small contribution to the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the printing of the first folio of Shakespeare's plays in this first episode of a short mini-series I recount a recent journey to London to see cop…
May 29, 2023
Marlowe’s Mighty Line
Episode 98: Marlowe as a playwright at the beginning of the greatest period of Elizabethan creativity. A short recap on Marlowe’s university life. Marlowe moves to London. The anonymity and earning power of Elizabethan playw…