HISTORICAL CONTEXT- What was London like in Elizabethan times and who were the people attending the theatre?

London Life
I have already recorded that Shakespeare spent most of his working life in London and it is quite obvious why. London was buzzing with life- as the capital people came to sell and trade, it was home to royalty and nobility and it was where the new theatre mania would start. By 1600 the amount of theatre attendees number approximately 20000 per week. This was partly due to the amount of wealthy people living in London who could afford to go to the theatre. This type of setting made it the perfect backdrop for Shakespeare to build his career on.

The geography of London at the time was as follows: a thriving city growing each day due to migration from the countryside causing most of the land in London to be taken up by new constructions to accommodate the increasing population, with the city slowing spreading out into the countryside. The streets were hard to navigate, gloomy mazes full to the brim with hurried people, attracting crime and disease. Although London was prospering, full of excitement, there was an underlying presence of danger.

Shakespeare worked in different locations during his time in London: first, St Helen's a London church situated near the theatre and playhouses, then moving on to the Paris Gardens situated near the Globe, finally moving to Silver Street with Shakespeare renting from a French family who were in the business of making fine hats.

Audiences
Attending the theatre was the new trend- anyone and everyone was going. People of all class were welcome, although their position within the theatre may be separate, with the standing area being normally reserved for the working class who paid 1 penny to stand and watch and the higher galleries being reserved for the gentry with prices starting at 6 pence. There was an in-between- for 2 pennies you could on a bench in the lower galleries and for 3 pennies you could be seated on a cushion. Although the standing 'groundlings', as they were known, were watching in worse conditions than the rest, the conditions outside on the streets on which they lived were arguably worse anyway. The low cost of theatre was the reason it grew in popularity so much. The everyday man and women were often attendees of the performances, but so were royalty who, although not in public theatres, would have performances for them privately at court.

The theatre could be quite a rowdy experience. The audiences weren't afraid to speak their minds by clapping the heroes, booing the villains and showing their opinion of a play by claps and cheers at the end or throwing food and litter at the stage. Music was banned at the end of productions due to the dancing being described as outrageous.

What I learnt from this is that although our experience at the theatre may  be described as more civilised and London more modernised, reading this information has made me question- has it really changed that much? London is still a vibrant city, changing daily, brimming with life and colour and yet their is still a sense of keeping ones wits about them whilst out. And as for the theatre, although we may not receive a pelting of orange peel if we perform badly, the audience reaction can make or break a show. The theatre industry in such a city as London is as unpredictable as it ever was.

CHARACTER RESEARCH- The role of women in Kuwait

Women of Kuwait

The link above is to a website about organisations helping women in Kuwait. I thought it was important to do some research into women's role in Kuwait and how that has changed over time. This research is adding more and more layers to my particular interpretation of Beatrice and will help create a accurate character taking into consideration all the factors affecting our piece. 

I decided to focus on the period the play is specifically set in- the 1990s (the website however has some other interesting information about other periods.) 

• After the Gulf war there were 2 major developments: 1. most women's organisations were now focused on helping the community and 2. The Federation of the Kuwaiti Women's Associations was made representative of Kuwaiti women's associations outside of Kuwait. 
• Sheikha Latifa, chairwomen of the Islamic Care Society and the Volunteer Women's Associations for Community Services, was made head of the FKWA giving women full control over women's groups and the right to speak on behalf of Kuwaiti women. 
• Post war the situation for Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis became very difficult as they were denied any support from the state. Any government support is paid or given directly to Kuwaiti men as the head of the household so if your husband was not Kuwaiti you were not liable to this help. These women sought help from the Women's Cultural and Social Society who demanded that Kuwaiti women could pass citizenship on to their children in the same way that Kuwaiti men do. 

After the war women clearly faced a lot of troubles from the political and social backlash of the war. In this unstable time for women, a character such as Beatrice is unusual and it has helped me understand that her situation is very privileged. After reading this I can see Beatrice as a Kuwaiti feminist, defiant against the more conservative values of society. Her voice must speak above a crowd that would wish to silence her and in these times of uncertainty for many Kuwaiti women, there was a lot to say. 

HISTORICAL CONTEXT- Shakespeare's life and biography

Early Life

You may say the most obvious place to start this research is with Shakespeare's date of birth and yet this basic fact is unknown- to this day we can only guess. We know he was baptised on the 26th April 1564 so we assume he was born only a few days prior. He was born in Stratford Upon Avon a market town with a population of approximately 1000 people. He was born to John and Mary Shakespeare as the son of a glove maker and wool trader and their oldest surviving child as both their previous daughters died as infants. Although William became the first child to survive he was lucky to do so; the year he was born plague hit Stratford killing 200 of the town's population. William had been born into a world of danger and uncertainty.

Education

Helped by his father's station as town mayor, William attended King Edward VI grammar school being schooled in Latin, both reading, writing and speaking the language and was also taught an extensive historical syllabus. He would have most likely attended school from age 7-15. His education would stand him in good stead for his later career as a playwright, possibly gaining his love for classical plays, so often reflected in his own works, during the 9 years he attended school. 

Marriage and Children

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway the daughter of a local farmer in 1582. She was 26 and he 18 when they married, being so eager to be wed due to the fact that Anne was already 3 months pregnant with Shakespeare's first of 3 children, Susanna. Shakespeare went on to have 2 more children; twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11, Susanna married a John Hall a doctor and had Shakespeare first grandchild, Elizabeth and Judith married just before his death in 1616 to Thomas Quiney a wine merchant. The family eventually died out, leaving no direct descendants of Shakespeare. His family life was almost non-existent as he lived most of his life in London due to work, leaving his family back home in Stratford. 

Career

Shakespeare time in London spanned from roughly 1590-1613. He had made his name as an actor by 1592 the same year his play Henry VI was performed at the Rose theatre after which he went on to write or co-write 40 plays. On top of this he was a keen poet publishing a book 154 sonnets in 1609. He co-owned The Lord Chamberlain's Men theatre company and in 1599 became the co-owner of the Globe theatre. For about 20 years he made all of his money in the arts: writing, performing and running theatres. 

Death

Shakespeare's death is shrouded in nearly as much mystery as his birth with its cause being unknown but the date, 23rd April 1616 being known. He is buried in Holy Trinity Church and he left this curse on his grave:

The bust there in his memory is meant to be the best replica of Shakespeare as it was commissioned by those who knew him personally. 

I have learnt from this that Shakespeare's life must have had a great impact on his works. Throughout his life he lived polar opposites: he knew luxury from birth and throughout his successful career and yet also knew tragedy from the loss of his son. He knew what it was to be part of a family and yet made the choice perhaps more out of duty than love and spent most of his life away from them. He had a life that can only be described as 'experienced' and I suspect this lifestyle is why his plays and sonnets were and are so powerful- Shakespeare had definitely lived a life.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT- What sense do you get of what life was like in Elizabethan England?

Under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, Elizabethan England was an era of discovery, political and religious changes and the introduction and shift of many key points of traditional English society.

Queen Elizabeth I
Daughter of Henry VIII, Elizabeth succeeded the throne after the death of her sister Mary in 1558. Although she has many suitors, Elizabeth never married, instead proclaiming that she was married to her country. Her defeat of the Spanish Armada and her harmonious solution to the Catholic vs Protestant war has put her down in history as a wise and just leader. She ruled for a total of 44 years.

Protestant vs Catholic
Elizabeth's predecessor, her sister Mary, had earned the nickname Bloody Mary due to her execution of many Protestants; a consequence of her strong Catholic preference. Historically the reigning monarch dictated the official religion that would be taught in school and carry with it severe punishment if not practised. However Elizabeth brought a peaceful outlook to the Protestant vs Catholic debate. Although a Protestant herself and reinstating Protestantism as the official religion, she believed Catholics should be free to practise their religion with no threat of repercussions. Of course there were radical Catholics who plotted against Elizabeth, hoping to replace her with the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots.

Martin Luther and those who shared his beliefs, formed the Protestant religion, with them gaining their name after 'protesting' against the traditional Catholic teachings and traditions. The differences between the two religions were as follows: Catholics believed the Bible should stay in Latin, whereas the Protestants thought modern English could make it accessible to the people. Catholic priests were the people's link to God whereas Protestant followers could access God without a priest. In the Catholic church, priests could forgive sins if suitable payment was given, whereas in the Protestant church they believed only God could forgive sins. Catholic churches were ornate and grand compared to the plainer Protestant churches.

Superstitions
Superstitions from this era date back to beliefs in the magical qualities held in herbs and animals. Other superstitions within words, omens, names and numbers date back to as early as the Greek's, with the connotations arising from their Gods and Goddesses. There is also a strong religious link to the superstitions, with God fearing people cautious that some actions would lead the wrath of God in all its glory.

One of the biggest superstitions in Elizabethan England, was the belief that some women had magical powers, known commonly as witches. Out of the 270 Elizabethan witch trials, 247 were women and 23 were men. Unexplained illness, unfruitful harvests and mystery fires were all blamed on witches. Some of the other suspicions related to witches were:

• Witches could fly, vanishing after the scene of a crime, with the image of a broomstick appearing due to it being a commonly used household object by women at the time. 
• Witches were painted as old hags, with old women, especially widows, often being accused as they had no man to defend them. 
• Witches had animal companions. 
• Witches lived alone, in hovels in the woods.  
• Witches had an extensive knowledge of plants and herbs. 

Other superstitions included:

• Saying bless you, as opening your mouth leaves room for the devil to enter you. 
• Pinning bay leaves to your pillow on the eve of St Valentine's day allowed you dream of your future husband. 
• Touching wood to ward of bad luck, dating back to the Celtic superstition that trees held magical powers. 
• Spilling salt and pepper was bad luck, as it was very expensive.

Jobs

There were many different jobs in Elizabethan England many of them being occupations still around today. Some of the most interesting were:

Watchmen- the name is rather self explanatory; a group of men who watched over the city. I think this is an interesting job to record due to their appearance in our play- these comedic figures would've been actual men.

Minstrel- minstrel's were a big part of Elizabethan entertainment, especially at court. They sang and played musical instruments, mainly about grand adventures and heroic quests.

Keeper of the Wardrobe- the Keeper of the Wardrobe was in charge of everything within the wardrobe room; tailors, dressmakers, laundresses, anyone and everyone that were part of making and maintaining the clothes in the wardrobe room.

Apothecary- this was someone who made and gave out herbal and plant based remedies and medicines. Priests or monks often held this post. As doctors were very expensive, this was the last resort for the sick and poor.

What I have observed by the above research is the obvious observation- how different our lives are when compared to that of those living in Elizabethan England. Their beliefs and customs seem almost alien and yet are the foundations of the society we know. It was a richly cultured place and an extreme turning point in both English and worldwide history, both politically and socially: on one hand you had a new, female queen on the throne bringing a relaxation of the tensions between Catholics and Protestants and travels to new, exciting worlds and yet you still had a country based on values, superstitions, almost afraid to move with the times. I perceive it to be a place of two extremes; a changing world, morphing into a place that leaves a mark on the world we know and a place of traditional, harsh belief that was not changing any time soon.

Notes from 'What was life really like for the poor in the countryside of Elizabethan England?' 

• Although Elizabethan England was controlled by the rich, they were the minority, with most people being very poor. 
• The poor led a hard life, living mostly in woodland areas such as moors, hills and wastelands. Although this may seem a scenic location, woods, without roads, were very dangerous places to be. 
• They lived in thatched cottages: a one room home, with an earth floor, a fire in the middle, some pots, some utensils, a basket and if you were lucky a thin straw mattress. There is a small hole in the roof to stop you from suffocating. The whole room would be filled with smoke and be very dark. Candles were expensive so natural light was the only option. However windows remained small so as to not let the heat out. Therefore you would wake and go to sleep in darkness. However the cottage would only be used for sleeping, with you spending most of the daylight hours outside. In such a place your senses are heightened; you can hear the fire, the rain and wind and every sound those around you make. Such a home sometimes fit 7-8 people. 
• There were 3 types of workers: Yeoman who owned or rented land and employed people to work on it, Husbandman who rented the land and worked on it and Labourers who worked on other people's farms. 
• When it came to looking for work, most people went from farm to farm asking for work. If you were lucky you were able to be employed on a casual basis and live in the barn. The work was very hard, starting at dawn and ending after the sun has set. You were paid 1 groat/fourpence which could buy you: a loaf of bread, a bit of butter and cheese each day or 4 small pieces of meat and 3 pieces of fish per week and some ale (water was polluted.) This approximated 6000 calories per day which a husband and wife could live on, but it left no money for anything or anyone else, making raising a family considerably harder.

CHARACTER RESEARCH- First Impressions

The Play
After reading the play for the first time these are some of my observations and reactions. The play could not be more complicated, with one person fooling another, who is already being tricked, who isn't meant to be because they are masked as someone else. There couldn't be more twists and turns or switches in the story lines. The play sits on the extremes, not on the borders, not in the middle, but in the extreme: you are either in love or shunned, married or refused at the alter. Until the very end, I thought the resolution would never come- there just seemed to be too many problems. 

However, as a Shakespearean comedy I see a lot of potential. In characters such as Dogberry and the Watchmen you find your comic relief from the tragedy of Hero and Claudio. The play doesn't take you on a linear journey, it instead dips in and out, picking out things here and there that come together to formulate one plot and about 100 other sub plots.

I suspect a play like this will need a lot of character research; I am slowly starting to realise what people may mean when they tell me that this blog is the biggest of them all. When you add on the context of the piece, in reference to both Shakespeare and the Gulf War, the characters and their ever changing relationships and the unpredictable plot of the piece, the research both in the rehearsal room and in my own time, I'm sure will amount to a lot.

Beatrice
How do I describe my first impressions of Beatrice- a force to be reckoned with. I think she is a representation of the opinionated, forceful witty voice that is inside all of us but is often suppressed by etiquette and social airs and graces. She is a feminist, who will not give herself to a man or indeed anyone, just because that is what a proper 'lady' would do. Her fire and passion throughout the play is something I am immensely looking forward to playing. As a women I think it will be a wonderful experience to play such a strong character even in a classical form. She has a lot to say and I see it as my job to let her say it.