01.01.08

Shakespeare and Burbage

Tagged as Humor, Literature

I picked up a copy of Shakespeare & Co.: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the Other Players in His Story. I’d recommend it, but if the title doesn’t get your interest it might not be the book for you. Anyway, I like it a lot.

It contains quite a few amusing historical anecdotes. My favorite is a bit of gossip involving Richard Burbage, the most famous actor in Shakespeare’s troupe (The Lord Chamberlain’s Men), as related in the diary of John Manningham in 1602:

Upon a time, when Burbage played Richard III, there was a citizen grew so far in liking with him that before she went from the play she appointed him to come that night unto her by the name of Richard the Third. Shakespeare, overhearing their conclusion, went before, was entertained, and at his game ere Burbage came. Then, message being brought that Richard the Third was at the door, Shakespeare caused return to be made that William the Conqueror was before Richard the Third.

Permalink