The History of European Theatre Podcast

A chronological history of the development and practice of theatre, tracing the emergence from ancient Greece through to the present day.

The History of European Theatre looks at the places where theatre was made and the people who made it happen. More than just dates and lists of plays we’ll share the social, political and historical context that fostered the creation of dramatic art.

Thanks to excessive spam messages, which are an administrative pain, I am switching off comments on the website.

The podcast is now on a break until Q2 2024. You can still listen to episodes in the back cataloge here or in your podcast app of choice and there may be the occasional bonus episode during the hiatus, but stay subscribed or follow the Facebook page to hear about what comes next.

If you would like to contact me you can do so via the podcast Twitter account @thoetp, or via the Facebook page or group, or by email [email protected].

Latest Episodes

  • 27-November-2023

    Episode 111:The true story behind 'Arden of Faversham'The plot outline of the playIs the domestic tragedy really tragedy?The main themes of the playThe domestic eating of the playThe low charactersThe role of destiny in the playQuestions of authorshipOther surviving [...]

  • 13-November-2023

    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 by a more naturalistic style.Stage sets and [...]

  • 30-October-2023

    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.Will Kempe’s origins and [...]

  • 16-October-2023

    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’ - three [...]

Full Episode Listing

  • 27-November-2023

    Episode 111:The true story behind 'Arden of Faversham'The plot outline of the playIs the domestic tragedy really tragedy?The main themes of the playThe domestic eating of the playThe low charactersThe role of destiny in the playQuestions of authorshipOther surviving [...]

  • 13-November-2023

    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 by a more naturalistic style.Stage sets and [...]

  • 30-October-2023

    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.Will Kempe’s origins and [...]

  • 16-October-2023

    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’ - three [...]

  • 02-October-2023

    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 - with some extensive quotes [...]

  • 18-September-2023

    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 1591 to [...]

  • 12-September-2023

    Bonus Episode 31Guest 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 and the demise [...]

  • 04-September-2023

    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 ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ a sequel?Cornelia, Kyd’s other surviving [...]

  • 21-August-2023

    Episode 104:Continuing the story of the Elizabethan theatre buildings.The construction of The GlobeMaster carpenter Peter StreetThe death of The GlobeThe Fortune - Henslowe's replacement for The RoseThe Whitefriars TheatreThe Hope - Henslowe's replacement for his bear garden, almost.The second [...]

  • 07-August-2023

    Episode 103:The story of the next phase of theatre building in Elizabethan London featuring the indoor and outdoor playhouses.The First Blackfriars TheatreThe CurtainPhilip HensloweThe Rose Francis LangleyThe SwanThe Second Blackfriars TheatreSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetp