Richard Crookback

Ben Jonson (1602)

Historical Records

Payments to Playwrights (Henslowe’s Diary)

F. 106^v (Greg I.168)

Lent ^ vnto bengemy Johnsone at the a poyntment of E Alleyn	}
& wm birde the 22 of June 1602	}
in earneste of a Boocke called Richard	}	xli
crockbacke & for new adicyons for	}
Jeronymo the some of	}

Theatrical Provenance

Presumably performed by the Admiral's Men at the Fortune, possibly in late summer 1602, although the lack of evidence makes it impossible to ascertain whether the play was indeed ever completed or performed.

Probable Genre(s)

History (Harbage).

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

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References to the Play

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Critical Commentary

Donaldson (183) suggests that the play may have never been completed or performed, possibly because of Jonson's illness.

For What It's Worth

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Works Cited

Donaldson, Ian. "Richard Crookback (lost play)." The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Ben Jonson. Ed. David Bevington, Martin Butler and Ian Donaldson. 7 vols. Cambridge: CUP, 2012. 2:183-184.

Evans Robert C. "More's Richard III and Jonson's Richard Crookback and Sejanus." Comparative Drama 24 (1990): 97-132.

Site created and maintained by Domenico Lovascio, University of Genoa; updated 14 April 2017.