SHAKESPEARE'S LONDON AND ELIZABETHAN AUDIENCES

Illustration of a night of theatre at Shakespeare's Globe

Who were the people attending the theatre? 

Shakespearean audiences consisted of all classes. Lower class labourers, middle class workers and businessmen, upper class gentlemen and lords (seated in the Lords Room) and even her majesty herself, Queen Elizabeth I, in the royal courts.

Most people in London visited the theatre as it was affordable and one of the few luxuries many could afford. By 1600, most theatres in the city of London could seat 3000, with 10,000 to 20,000 people visiting the theatre weekly.  Elizabethan audiences were mostly men as women didn't have the same opportunities as woman. The audience, despite being filled with commoners, also saw its fair share of the rich and wealthy. The theatre saw royal families from all over enjoy the stories told. Shakespeare's plays were performed in the royal courts for the nobility who wished to see it. The courts of James I and Elizabeth I. 

The cheapest price for theatres tickets during Elizabethan era was 1 penny, enough for a standing ticket. Standing tickets in Shakespeare's Globe Theatre were called groundlings. For an additional 1 penny more, you could buy yourself a bench seat underneath shelter and a comfortable viewing platform. This included a padded cushion for you to sit on. The highest priced seats were located in the 'Lords Room', a place that was too grandiose for most people to afford. The low cost of a standard ticket such as the groundlings and the lower galleries was why theatre was so popular. It was affordable. 

Illustration featuring Elizabeth I,  Sir Francis Drake and William Shakespeare

What was London like in Elizabethan Times? 

London was the biggest city in England and also was the richest, housing the English nobility, despite Elizabeth owning several properties across the country. London was the home of theatre. It had the first permanent playhouses. Before then, the theatre were bands of gypsy travellers who roamed across the country. Actors were the lowest of the low. It also was the biggest engineering city in the country, a place of great technological prosperity. Because of this, the workers of these industries after a days work, had the money to spare (1 penny) to go and relax at the theatre. 

London was growing at an exponential rate, many migrants moved to London from Europe or the more rural areas of the country. By 1600, London housed over 200,000 people. London was overcrowded in its city walls. However, London also housed people it didn't want. Because of it's overcrowded population, the streets became cramped, dark and narrow. This attracted a large population of thieves, increasing the crime rate of the city. The close quartered nature of the city also aided the spread of diseases. This was a serious issue as in 1593, the Bubonic Plague (also known as The Black Death) struck theatres goers and the general populous. Many believed the plague had spread by actors as they were scum who travelled across the country, but that simply isn't true on its own. In 1593, 10,000 people were killed by the Black Death and all theatres were closed.

                   SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE

Portrait of William Shakespeare

The date of Shakespeare's birth is still relatively unknown as records of the time are scarce, but historians guess that he was born a few days prior to his baptism on 26th April 1564, in his birth place Stratford-upon-Avon. William Shakespeare lived his life over 400 years ago, but to this day theatre companies around the world are still re imagining his plays. 

Despite being raised in Stratford as well as owning a property and having family there also, his primary place of work was in the capital, London. At the time, London was at the forefront for English theatre, with himself at the top of the writing chain. His popularity was immense for the time, both being a playwright and an actor. Later in his life he owned the second largest house in Stratford.

William was the son to John and Mary Shakespeare. William was the eldest of five siblings. He had three younger brothers, Gilbert, Richard and Edmund as well as two younger sisters, Anne and Joan. Anne dying just age seven. He was the oldest surviving child as Mary's previous two girls did not survive past infancy.  The father of the family, John, was a successful leather worker, making gloves and other items. John became and alderman and eventually the town bailiff. John married a woman by the name of Mary, who was part of the well known Arden family.  

Shakespeare was a student at Stratfords Grammar School at around age 15. He would have studied Latin heavily, which included writing, acting and memorisation of plays. A few years later, in 1582, William left the school and married Anne Hathaway just age 18 despite her being 26 years old and bearing their first child. Anne also grew up in Stratford in the village of Shottery and stayed the rest of her life there. 

in 1585, William and Anne had twins named Judith and Hamnet. Hamnet died just age 11 in 1596. This broke Williams heart, causing him to write many of his famous sonnets dedicated to Hamnet. This is also one of the reasons Shakespeare talked a lot about death and losing children in his work. Actors pursuing a career in theatre had to move to London as it was the only place to find work. His daughters all married, and Shakespeare became a grandfather in 1608, but the family eventually died out.

Shakespeare became a member of the Kings Men, a prosperous theatre group, formerly known as the Lord Chamberlains Men. William benefited both financially and career wise from being in the Kings Men. Shakespeare died on April 26th, 1616 with know cause of his death. However historians theorise that because his brother in law passed away a week earlier, he may have died from infectious diseases.

LIFE IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND (L1)

Example of homes during the time.

The country side had rather atrocious living conditions. People who lived in the city of London lived amongst faecal matter and the fear of disease spreading, whereas common folk from the country would live in dark thatch houses with holes for windows. Lighting was a no go as candles were expensive; way beyond the pay of a labourer. They would be lucky to own a straw mat to rest their heads on as a mattress substitute. If they couldn't afford one, they would lie on the floor. Many cases report large families of six plus sharing a home fit for two at max. Elizabethan society was divided into the class in which you were born. If born a rich nobleman, you'd never dare contact a person below your wealth and vise versa. This is the law of the land. If you're born poor, you'll die poor.

“The cold stuck so deep into them their flesh was eaten with vermin and corrupt diseases grew on them” - City of Norwich, Order for the poor, 1571

Countrymen were split into three categories :

Yeoman

 These men might own or rent land and employs workers to come and work on their own land.

Husbandmen

Husbandmen rents the land he works on.

Labourers

Labourers simply work on other peoples farms.

For an unemployed poor person - finding work would be extremely limited. Their best bet is to go around looking for work as a labourer and work on someone else's land. For a common man, a full on hard day of work would earn you a Groat. One Groat is the equivalent of around four pence, enough for a loaf of bread. Luxuries of the day like a Lemon would cost £75 by todays standards, and a full chicken for dinner would spend you £100. Because of these harsh conditions, men would drink ale as alternative to water as the water was so polluted, it was safer to get ale. Men, women and children were practically starving whilst the rich dined on banquets.