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The Masters of the Revels and Elizabeth I's Court Theatre
The Masters of the Revels and Elizabeth I's Court Theatre places the Revels Office and Elizabeth I's court theatre in a pre-modern, patronage and gift-exchange driven-world of centralized power in which hospitality, liberality, and conspicuous display were fundamental aspects of social life. W.R. Streitberger reconsiders the relationship between the biographies of the Masters and the conduct of their duties, rethinking the organization and development of the Office, re-examining its productions, and exploring its impact on the development of the commercial theatre. The nascent capitalist economy that developed alongside and interpenetrated the gift-driven system that was in place during Elizabeth's reign became the vehicle through which the Revels Office along with the commercial theatre was transformed. Beginning in the early 1570s and stretching over a period of twenty years, this change was brought about by a small group of influential Privy Councillors.
When this project began in the early 1570s the Queen's revels were principally in-house productions, devised by the Master of the Revels and funded by the Crown. When the project was completed in the late 1590s, the Revels Office had been made responsible for plays only and put on a budget so small that it was incapable of producing them. That job was left to the companies performing at court. Between 1594 and 1600, the revels consisted almost entirely of plays brought in by professional companies in the commercial theatres in London. These companies were patronized by the queen's relatives and friends and their theatres were protected by the Privy Council. Between 1594 and 1600, for example, all the plays in the revels were supplied by the Admiral's and Chamberlain's Players which included writers such as Shakespeare, and legendary actors such as Edward Alleyn, Richard Burbage, and Will Kempe. The Queen's revels essentially became a commercial enterprise, paid for by the ordinary Londoners who came to
see these companies perform in selected London theatres which were protected by the Council.
When this project began in the early 1570s the Queen's revels were principally in-house productions, devised by the Master of the Revels and funded by the Crown. When the project was completed in the late 1590s, the Revels Office had been made responsible for plays only and put on a budget so small that it was incapable of producing them. That job was left to the companies performing at court. Between 1594 and 1600, the revels consisted almost entirely of plays brought in by professional companies in the commercial theatres in London. These companies were patronized by the queen's relatives and friends and their theatres were protected by the Privy Council. Between 1594 and 1600, for example, all the plays in the revels were supplied by the Admiral's and Chamberlain's Players which included writers such as Shakespeare, and legendary actors such as Edward Alleyn, Richard Burbage, and Will Kempe. The Queen's revels essentially became a commercial enterprise, paid for by the ordinary Londoners who came to
see these companies perform in selected London theatres which were protected by the Council.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2016
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February 19, 2026
I am torn between fascination and writing a reasonable review, as this area of study and history has long been of interest, but suffers from a lack of intact source material to support granular academic study. Streitberger does an admirable job, with a common punctuation noting that evidence doesn't exist or might be a tad thin in support of a precise theory of one sort or another. If time travel were an option, I would be hard pressed not to spend a journey or three going back to seize one folio or another to uncover the truth behind plays like the Jonson co-authored 'The Isle of Dogs' that had the mayor of London and authorities up in arms.
While revels and entertainments existed under earlier monarchs, it was during Elizabeth's reign that regulation and favour enabled the Office of the Revels to acquire momentary power and influence. The book is broken down into chapters that cover early entertainments, then the Masters—Cawarden, Benger, and Tilney—who set out to make something of the Office from 1558 onward.
The Office of the Revel was one organisation among many, and a key takeaway from the whole book is that the Court of the Queen was a multilayered affair of patronage and influence, making the role of Master a deeply complex one that invariably bankrupted each of them. Each chapter examines the background of the Master, their sway within the Court, changes in the business of theatre, both economically and politically, and the specific performance notable during their period of control.
The back of the book includes a comprehensive timeline—spanning more than 50 pages—of the recorded revels, plays, and performances between 1558 and 1603, including specific demands made of the Offices of the Revels and the Tents and Works.
For me, the final 50 pages of the book, covering Tilney, were a bit of a struggle to read, primarily because the focus shifts to a period when the Office lost sway and support. In the late 80s through to the reign of King James VI, the commercial theatre business placed considerable challenges on London and the authorities, despite its existence being intended to reduce the financial demands of entertainments on the Crown. The focus became much less engaging for me, but your experience may vary.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I have liberally bookmarked various pages for reference and re-read. As noted, study in this area is sparse, so my appreciation—and rating—comes from my wish to express thanks for Streitberger's effort and the hope that others might delve further into this fascinating area of the late Tudor Court.
While revels and entertainments existed under earlier monarchs, it was during Elizabeth's reign that regulation and favour enabled the Office of the Revels to acquire momentary power and influence. The book is broken down into chapters that cover early entertainments, then the Masters—Cawarden, Benger, and Tilney—who set out to make something of the Office from 1558 onward.
The Office of the Revel was one organisation among many, and a key takeaway from the whole book is that the Court of the Queen was a multilayered affair of patronage and influence, making the role of Master a deeply complex one that invariably bankrupted each of them. Each chapter examines the background of the Master, their sway within the Court, changes in the business of theatre, both economically and politically, and the specific performance notable during their period of control.
The back of the book includes a comprehensive timeline—spanning more than 50 pages—of the recorded revels, plays, and performances between 1558 and 1603, including specific demands made of the Offices of the Revels and the Tents and Works.
For me, the final 50 pages of the book, covering Tilney, were a bit of a struggle to read, primarily because the focus shifts to a period when the Office lost sway and support. In the late 80s through to the reign of King James VI, the commercial theatre business placed considerable challenges on London and the authorities, despite its existence being intended to reduce the financial demands of entertainments on the Crown. The focus became much less engaging for me, but your experience may vary.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I have liberally bookmarked various pages for reference and re-read. As noted, study in this area is sparse, so my appreciation—and rating—comes from my wish to express thanks for Streitberger's effort and the hope that others might delve further into this fascinating area of the late Tudor Court.
Displaying 1 of 1 review