Ms. Benlolo's Grade 9 Classroom

All the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays were originally played by male actors, better known as Boy Actors.

During the Elizabethan era only men were allowed to act in the theatre until 1660, it was judged to be unseemly for a woman to act! Young boys were therefore hired to act in the female roles.

There is no official record of the first performances of Romeo and Juliet, evidence from two quartos compiled in 1598 and 1599 suggest that the play was performed often and successfully by the Chamberlain’s Men during Shakespeare’s lifetime. The First Quarto describes the play:

An Excellent conceited Tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet, As it hath been often (with great applause) plaid publiquely, by the Honourable the L. of Hunsdon and his Seruants.

Without evidence, it is said that Richard Bubage (c.1567-1619) was most likely to have played Romeo, with Master William Goffe as Juliet. It is suggested that Shakespeare himself played the Prince.

Costume and Make-up

The white make-up used by young male Elizabethan actors was lead based and highly poisonous!! The young boy actors were therefore very unhealthy, had unpleasant facial skin disease and a high proportion actually died of lead poisoning.

Clothing

The materials used were luxurious and covered a whole variety of colors.

**According to the laws of the Queen, ordinary Elizabethans were not allowed to wear the latest fashions. Fashionable clothes would only be seen at a distance, when wealthy nobles or Royalty were in view however, Elizabethan actors were granted special permission to wear these fine clothes.

Performances became a fashion show of the season’s “hottest” attire

Colors of the costumes provided audience members a tremendous amount of information as soon as the actor walked on to the stage. The types of materials and fabrics would have had a similar association to everyday life:

Color	Explanation
Purple	Was worn by royalty
Red	Symbolically representing power was an extremely important color worn by those in powerful positions.
White	Was worn by the pope or lower and upper classes. White was also used during marriage, baptism, ordination and dedications.
Black	Was symbolic for authority and power and people who wore this color however, it was worn by widows and represented death. Lower and upper classes wore black.
Brown	For humility and poverty this color is associated with a basic/simple life
Yellow	The color for renewal and hope however, yellow was also associated with envy, greed and treachery. Judas Iscariot is often portrayed wearing yellow clothes, in early 1270 there was anti-Semitic feelings in England and King Edward I decreed that the Jews were a threat to the country. He declared that all Jews must wear a yellow star to identify them in public.

Nearly every other color had its own meaning during the Elizabethan era and this meaning was TOTALLY understood by the audience.

Wear the wrong color clothing in the Elizabethan Era and lose money, property, titles or life!

The English Sumptuary Laws were well known by all of the English men and women. And the Law was strictly obeyed! The penalties for violating Sumptuary Laws could be harsh - fines, the loss of property, title and even life! People living in the Elizabethan era only wore clothes that they were allowed to wear - by Law!