myShakespeare | Elizabethan Theater

myShakespeare2 minutes read

Shakespeare was a successful playwright and actor in London during the 1600s, co-founding the renowned Lord Chamberlains' Men and earning significant profits from the Globe Theatre. His play "As You Like It" encourages viewers to contemplate their roles in life as if the world were a stage.

Insights

  • Shakespeare, along with eight other actors, founded the Lord Chamberlains' Men, the most successful acting company in London, leading to the establishment of the Globe Theatre, revolutionizing modern English theatre.
  • The emergence of professional playwrights like Shakespeare, producing 40 plays annually, was driven by the demand for new plays, highlighting the competitive landscape of the theatre industry and the lucrative earnings potential for actors like Shakespeare and his fellow sharers.

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Recent questions

  • Who founded the Lord Chamberlains' Men?

    Shakespeare and eight other actors

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Summary

00:00

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and London Theatre Scene

  • Shakespeare is in his late 30s and halfway through his professional career in London in the year 1600.
  • Shakespeare, along with eight other actors, founded the Lord Chamberlains' Men, the most successful acting company in London.
  • The Globe Theatre was recently established by the Lord Chamberlains' Men.
  • James Burbage, considered the father of English language theatre, designed The Theater, a structure for plays inspired by bear baiting arenas.
  • The Theatre could accommodate around 2000 audience members, leading to the birth of modern English theatre.
  • London officials opposed theatres due to concerns about crime, public health, and moral grounds.
  • The Globe Theatre, home to the Lord Chamberlains' Men, operated on a profit-sharing model among actors.
  • Shakespeare and his fellow sharers earned about $1 million a year from the Globe Theatre.
  • The theatre industry faced competition from other acting companies associated with powerful noblemen.
  • The demand for new plays led to the emergence of professional playwrights, including Shakespeare, producing 40 plays annually.

13:30

"All the World's a Stage"

  • Shakespeare's play "As You Like It" describes the world as a stage where all individuals are actors with various roles.
  • The text prompts the audience to consider if they believe the world is indeed a stage and to reflect on the roles they will play in their lifetime.
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