The newspaper., 1906-11-16
Actors and the Stage Of the Elizabethan
Period.
BY MRS. C. K. RAwALT.

neriod there were neither regular
theatres nor professional actors. as
we understand them today. The
earliest form OF amusement OF this
kind w as represented by Miracleplays
or MYSTERIES as they were called.
These performances were an expedi-
ent employed by the clergy for giving
religious instruction to the people,
and to extend and strengthen the in
fuence of the church. The plays were
composed and acted by the monks,
the cathedral was transformed
for the time being into a theatre,
the stage was a graduated platform
in three divisions representing
heaven, earth and hell, rising one
above the other and the costumes
were furnished from the vestry of the
church.
The plays were founded upon strik-
ing episodes of the Bible and the lives
OF the saints and the martyrs. The
simple faith OF the people saw no
impropriety in representing super
natural beings such as the Trinity,
angels, devils, saints and martyrs.
Then as now, some comic element
was necessary to hold the attention
OF the people, so the devil usually
played the part of the Jester or clown.
The modern puppet play of Punch is
. a tradition handed down from these
ancient miracles in which the evil
one was alternately the conqueror
and the victim.
Moralities was the name given to
another class of this time, which
differed only slightly from the miracle
play. Instead of Bible incidents be-
ing the foundation, the subjects We're,
as the name implies. moral in charac-
ter but not of n religious nature, hut
as fun must be forthcoming, the
devil and his merry imps excited the
laughter OF the populace with n
variety of noises, strange gestures
and contortions of the body.
Secular plays also flourished mt this
time, but differed greatly from the
mystery or miracle plays or the
moralities. They were acted by
strolling companies composed OF
minstrels, jugglers. tumblers, dancers.
testers and other performers properly
qualihed for different parts OF the
entertainment, which admitted OF n
variety OF exhibitions. These
pastimes were of even greater antiq-
uity than the ecclesiastical plays and
were much relished, not. only the So
called vulgar part OF the people, but
also by the nobility. The courts of
the kings of England and the castles
OF the great earls and barons were
crowded with the performers of the
secular plays who were well re
ceived and Handsomely rewarded.
Vast sums OF money were lavishly
bestowed upon these itinerants,
and this, indeed. is what
induced the monks and their
pupils to become actors, and
gave rise to the ecclesiastical
the public bounty. The secular show
men, however. retained their popular
ity Notwithstanding the exertions OF
their clerical rivals, who diligently
endeavored to bring them into dis
grace by bitterly inveighing against
the hlthiness and immortality of their
exhibitions. A writer OF that time
who was very severe against these
itinerant players calls them jugglers.
scoffers, testers, and players and
ranks them with the lowest and
most vicious OF mankind.
Another pastime very popular at
this time was the plays exhibited at
court during the Christmas holidays.
but from the very numerous dresses
and disguisements that seem to have
been necessary and the absence of
words. they would seem to have
merited the denomination of num-
meries rather than OF theatrical per
formances.
From the earliest years of Queen
Elizabeth's reign. the new spirit OF
the renascence had been pouring itself
into the rough mould OF all these
plays and an attempt at livelier
style Of expression and invention be