Description
Book SynopsisThis volume brings together important records of medieval theatre practice between 1400 and 1580. The records are drawn from a wide range of spheres including civic, ecclesiastical, trade and guild records and consist of payments for materials, techniques and services; also included are some eye witness accounts. Alongside these records is a selection of the best contemporary research conducted into medieval performance practice, which features ground-breaking analysis and challenges current understanding, knowledge and authority in this field. These contributions of rigorous scholarship complement and support the work of the well-known Records of Early English Drama project and help to further illuminate contemporary fifteenth and early sixteenth-century theatre performance practice.
Table of ContentsContents: Introduction; Part I Records: St John’s College register of inventories (1548-9), Trinity College Inventory (1550), Alan H. Nelson; Cordwainers’ and shoemakers’ accounts (1549-50), Smiths’, cutlers’, and plumbers’ accounts (1560-61), Bowyers’, fletchers’, coopers’, and stringers’ accounts (1571), Painters’, glaziers’, embroiderers’, and stationers’ accounts (1571), Elizabeth Baldwin, Lawrence M. Clopper and David Mills; Cappers’ records (1540), Drapers’ accounts (1563), Smiths’ accounts (1584), R.W. Ingram; Corporation chamberlains’ accounts (1573-4) (Elizabeth’s visit), Willis’ description of a play at Gloucester (1570s), Audrey Douglas and Peter Greenfield; Chamberlains’ accounts (New Romney, 1483-6 and 1560-61), James M. Gibson; Grocers’ Guild records (1564-5), David Galloway; Mercers’ pageant documents (1433) (indenture), Mercers’ pageant documents (1461) (expenses), Alexandra F. Johnston and Margaret Rogerson; Of perspective, Sebastiano Serlio; Third dialogue, Leoni di Somi. Part II Pageant Vehicle Staging: The York Mercers and their pageant of Doomsday, 1433-1526, Alexandra F. Johnston and Margaret (Dorrell) Rogerson; The development of the York Mercers’ pageant waggon, Peter Meredith; The manner of these playes, John Marshall; The Coventry pageant waggon, Reg Ingram. Part III Other Forms of Staging: Criteria for a popular repertory, David Bevington; La festa d’Elx: the Festival of the Assumption of the Virgin, Elche (Alicante), Pamela M. King and Asunción Salvador-Rabaza; Drama and the city: city parades, Katie Normington; Moving encounters: choreographing stage and spectators in urban theatre and pageantry, Tom Pettitt. Part IV Costume, Mask and Stage Effects: Apparell comlye, Meg Twycross; Gunnepowdyr, fyre and thondyr, Philip Butterworth; Mystery plays, Meg Twycross and Sarah Carpenter; Magic through sound: illusion, deception and agreed pretence, Philip Butterworth. Part V Playing: ’Look at
