-
1552
Ralph Roister Doister
The play Ralph Roister Doister is significant, because it is the first regular comedy in the history of English literature. It was written and composed by Nicholas Udall, who was the master of Eton and Westminster school. The play is loosely based off of "Miles Gloriosus" which was written by Plautus the great Roman play right between 254 BC and 184 BC (Britannica) -
1559
Queen Elizabeth bans religious drama
England was very much in a power struggle between the Queen and Mary Queen of Scotts. One hot button political issue was the swapping between the protestant and Catholic faiths, which centered the society. The theatre and drama pertaining to religion was considered controversial and divisive. (hillsidech) -
1561
The Tragedy of Gorboduc
Written by Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville, this play was first done on Christmas in front of the queen. It's significance has a lot to do with it being the first verse drama to employ blank verse plays in English literature. Meaning, the lines were not using rhymes particularly. Which is the way it had been done previous. (innertemple) -
1567
The Red Lion is built
The Red Lion is believed to be the first theatre built, for that purpose in England. it was significant because it opened up more opportunities for theatre to be viewed by common folk. The Red Lion was not in operation long, as there were issues with the structure. It's exact location is also not known, though in 2019 archeologists believe they found the long lost theatre. (bbc) -
Venus and Adonis
Many believe this to be William Shakespeare's first publication, While he is credited with variations of Henry IV possibly being before then, they were private for the queen. This play is the one that launched the legendary career of Shakespeare and began his track of being recognized like he is today. (folger) -
The Globe Theatre Burns down
The Globe theatre was the spot to catch a play in the 1590s onward. During a theatrical performance of William Shakespeare's King Henry VI, a cannon misfire led to a fire, which engulfed and burned down the theatre in mere hours. Though it would be rebuilt in the future, this day was of serious significance. There was one casualty in the tragedy. (Home) -
Puritan-led Parliament bans theatre
Theatre was controversial, and in some circles even considered a indulgent taboo. The English Parliament eventually banned theatre for those very reasons once the Puritans held the vast amount of spots. This created a nearly two decade break from drama for the English. (BHO) -
The Siege of Rhodes
This play is considered to the first ever Opera. This play is considered the pioneer of the genre. It was written by William Davenant, the vocal music by Henry Lawes, Matthew Locke, and Captain Henry Cooke, and the instrumental music by Charles Coleman and George Hudson. The play was inspired by real life events of the Ottoman Empire in the 1520s. (planethugill) -
The First Woman Performs in English Theatre
Margaret Hughes is believed to be the first woman portrayed in English drama. Though she was hardly alone plays before if women parts were casted, they would be played by men. Yes, even for plays like Romeo and Juliet! (guinnessworldrecords) -
The Licensing Act of 1737
The Licensing Act of 1737, began the trajectory of a more modern view of films, producers/playwrights actors etc. The purpose of the act was to censor the things said about the British government during plays. As it was throughout this period, plays stood as controversial and a way for people to express their political views. There was an examiner who was tasked with reviewing all public plays. This office, and action continued until 1968.