We’re only just getting to these plays. As the playhouses recover from some terrible plague years there’s a lot to enjoy. The dating on this list may be more off then earlier lists, it is a work in progress, adjusted as we do work on each play.
1594
Two Tragedies in One, or Two Lamentable Tragedies by Robert Yarington – True(ish) crime drama which prefigures all the cliches of modern television crime drama. The body is always found by the dog walker.
A Knack to Know an Honest Man – not exactly a sequel to A Knack to Know a Knave (the plot and locale is completely different) but a thematic and title steal never the less. A bit of a hit for the Admiral’s Men.
Alphonsus, Emperor of Germany – coming soon…
Cornelia by Thomas Kyd – printed this year, First Look Exploring session available.
1595
Sir Thomas More by lots of people – First Look Exploring Session available
Maroccus Extaticus or Bankes Bay Horse in a Trance – so this isn’t a play, it’s just written in dialogue form. Marocco was a famous performing horse of the 1580’s/90’s, so this dialogue leaps onto his fame to make some legit social comment.
1596
The Blind Beggar of Alexandria by George Chapman
The Famous History of the Life and Death of Captain Thomas Stukeley
1597
An Humourous Day’s Mirth by George Chapman
The Case is Altered by Ben Jonson
1598
Every Man In His Humour by Ben Jonson – First Look Exploring Session available for the earlier version of the play.
We’ve also done a bit of a dive into the prologue for the later version. More to come.
Robin Hood (part one) or, The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon by Anthony Munday.
Robin Hood (part two) or, The Death of Robert Earl of Huntingdon by Anthony Munday with Henry Chettle – First Look Exploring Session available.
Englishmen for My Money or A Woman Will Have Her Will by William Haughton
The Virtuous Octavia by Samuel Brandon
The Two Angry Women of Abington by Henry Porter – fab title. So far we’ve only had an in passing drive by look at the prologue.
1599
The Pilgrimage to Parnassus – First Look Exploring Session available
Antonio and Mellida by John Marston – the first of two plays (both are in the playlist) which start explicitly as comedy, and then turns into genre bending kinds of tragedy.
We also had a bit of a look at the epilogue – which is nice.
The Life and Death of Thomas Cromwell – an exploring session on this play is complete in two parts. We’ve also done a workshop on the character of Hodge. More work to follow…
Sir John Oldcastle by Michael Drayton, Munday, Wilson, Uncle Tom Cobbley and All. First Look Exploring Session available.
Old Fortunatus by Thomas Dekker
The Shoemaker’s Holiday by Thomas Dekker
Every Man Out of His Humour by Ben Jonson
All Fools by George Chapman
Edward the Fourth, parts one and two, by Thomas Heywood. Exploring session available.
The Wisdom of Doctor Dodypoll – performed by the Children of Paul’s around about here, printed in 1600.
Jack Drum’s Entertainment by John Marston – possibly dates next year. Lots of stuff to look at. We’ve done a First Look Exploring Session…
Sam Plumb directed it for the Young Actors Company, and we interviewed him for the podcast. It also features a recording of the opening Induction to the play.
A video of the Young Actors Company production is available on YouTube. Huzzah! More people should show such clear vision regarding archiving their work.
As this play could have come in 1600, that seems a good crossover point. Liz I only has a few years left – and the London playhouses are really getting into a groove. More and more plays are surviving, more playwrights are known to us. Quite exciting.
