We’re not going to get into these plays in any depth till 2021 or after. But 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 Lamentable Tragedies, Robert Yarington
A Knack to Know an Honest Man
Alphonsus, Emperor of Germany
Cornelia by Thomas Kyd
1595
? A New Wonder, A Woman Never Vexed, William Rowley
? A Match at Midnight, William Rowley
? The Birth of Merlin, William Rowley
Sir Thomas More by lots of people
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 Begger of Alexandria, George Chapman
The Famous History of the Life and Death of Captain Thomas Stukeley
1597
An Humourous Day’s Mirth, George Chapman
The Case is Altered, Ben Jonson
1598
Every Man In His Humour by Ben Jonson – we’ve looked at the prologue thus far. More to come.
The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon, Henry Chettle
The Death of Robert Earl of Huntingdon, Henry Chettle
Englishmen for My Money or A Woman Will Have Her Will, William Haughton
The Virtuous Octavia by Samuel Brandon
The Two Angry Women of Abingdon by Henry Porter – fab title. So far we’ve only had an in passing drive by look at the prologue.
1599
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
Old Fortunatus, Thomas Dekker
The Shoemaker’s Holiday, Thomas Dekker
Every Man Out of His Humour, Ben Jonson
All Fools, George Chapman
Edward IV, 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 the year after. We haven’t done the play, but we know a man who has. 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.
