The history of English Drama before 1642 revisited
Date
2010
Authors
Johnston, Alexandra
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Southern African Society for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (SASMARS)
Abstract
Thirty four years later REED has become the essential ‘third stream’ to the two streams of text and performance that we have been tracing. REED has been called ‘one of the miracles of modern scholarship.’ As we have seen, REED began as a group of theatre historians who wanted to know the circumstances in which medieval and early modern English drama was created and produced, but it has done much more. Over the last thirty-four years, we have been gathering and editing the external evidence that survives about how the plays were performed – who controlled them, who performed them, what they cost, what the costumes and stages were like and all sorts of other details. And much to our surprise, we have stumbled on a rich vein of evidence that helps to advance our understanding of the social and religious history of a period of profound change. The evidence is to be found in official minute books, accounts, court cases, wills, and notebooks from cities, towns, parishes, great houses (both lay and monastic), bishop’s registers and eye witness accounts.
Description
Keywords
Medie?vistiek.
Citation
The history of English Drama before 1642 revisited,1017-3455,The Southern African Society for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.