Actors1

Answer prepared by: Alexandra Meyers** Life for the best actors in Shakespeare’s time was very promising. According to Francois Laroque, author of book __The Age of Shakespeare__ (pages 48-57 and 72-83), “Actors were novelty in the late 16th-century England. Until then, players had been amateurs. This is because in 1572 an order was passed that made an actor a potential subject, liable to be thrown in prison and branded with a hot iron if he were caught being a vagrant (moving from place to place without work (begging)) or a delinquent (committing small crime).” Actors had to be dedicated to their work though. “Being an actor required excellent memory,” Laroque claims. Andy Harmsworth, writer of __Elizabethan England a Study in Depth__ (pages 102-105) states, “actors might have to be in a different play each day with more than one part.” During times of plague when theaters were closed to stop spread of disease, nobles might invite actors to go to their house and perform for them. Some nobles enjoyed theatre so much that they would help actors from being punished and donate money. Nobles especially enjoyed watching “specialist” actors, who played certain parts very well, perform.
 * 26 WHO WERE THE LEADING ACTORS IN SHEAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND? WHAT WERE THEY FAMOUS FOR? WHAT ROLES DID THEY PLAY? WHAT CONNECTION, IT ANY, DID THEY HAVE WITH SHAKESPEARE? WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR AN ACTOR IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME?

During Shakespeare’s time, there were a few types of Elizabethan actors that were specialists. Harmsworth declares that, “most actors weren’t especially talented but the best actors would become very famous.” “Boys who started acting at young ages would be professionals. They would normally play the role of women, who weren’t allowed to act, until their higher pitched voice would change. They would have mastered feminine gestures by the time their voice’s changed,” Laroque affirms. “The clown was another specialized role. A distinction was made on the Elizabethan stage between the clown and a fool.” Richard Tarlton was one of the most famous clowns. He played a flat nosed dwarf and amused the queen. After Tarlton died, William Kemp became famous. He was a comedian that wore funny clothes. He played Lancelot Gobbo in __The Merchant of Venice__ and Dogberry in __Much Ado About Nothing__. He, like Shakespeare, was part of the acting company of Chamberlain’s Men. Although comedies were quite amusing, there were other types of plays people enjoyed watching.

Many actors during Shakespeare’s time became famous from tragedies. According to Laroque, “Edward Alleyn, a man who worked in the same acting company as Shakespeare, was the star of Marlowe’s (a very famous important tragedy writer before Shakespeare) tragedies.” Harmsworth explains further, “Alleyn had a strong voice and energy. He became wealthy enough to buy land in Dulwich and open a college there. Richard Burbage was the best tragic actor. He had leads in many of Shakespeare’s plays and some parts in the plays were most likely made just for him.” Later in his life he became a Globe Theatre owner and ran a company of actors. Tragedies were a very popular genre play at the time.

The life of an actor could be challenging-memorizing many different parts for many different plays, having thousands of people per week coming to watch you perform. Harmsworth confesses, “Players did not have the support of everyone, such as the Puritans, but they had the support of Queen Elizabeth, which helped theatre succeed.” Like today, actors were a popular form of entertainment and amuse all different social classes of people.



**Works Cited**

Harmsworth, Andy. __Elizabethan England A Study in Depth__. London: John Murray (Publishers) Ltd., 1999. 102-105. Print.

Kindersley, Dorling. __Shakespeare__. New York: DK Publishing, 2002. 46-52. Print

Laroque, Francois. __The Age of Shakespeare__. Abrams: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1993. 48-57,73-83. Print.