That Will Be Shall Be

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Historical Records

Performance Records

Playlists in Philip Henslowe's diary

Fol. 23 (Greg I.45)

Res at the second time of playinge that wilbe shalbe}

the 4 of Janewary 1597 the some of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . } xxxx^s

Fol. 25^v (Greg I.50)

Under the heading, "Jn the name of god amen begininge the 25 of novembʒ 1596 as foloweth the lord admerall players":

ye 3[1]0 of decembʒ 1596					. . . . ne . .			Res at that wilbe shalbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		ls
ye 3 of Jenewary 1597					———			Res at that wilbe shalbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		xxxxijs
ye 6 of Jenewary 1597								Res at that wilbe shalbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		xxxxijs
ye 13 of Janewary 1597								Res at that wilbe shalbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		xxijs
ye 18 of Janewary 1597								Res at that wilbe shalbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		xvs

Fol. 26 (F.26 / Greg I.51:)

Janewary 1957
		|24|				tt at that wilbe shalbe. . . . . . . . . .		0|17|00 — 19 — 07
ffebreary
1597
Candelmaseday
		|2|				tt at that wilbe shalbe. . . . . . . . . .		01|18|01 — 03 — 00
begynyng in leant
Marche 1597
		|3|				tt at that wilbe shalbe. . . . . . . . . .		00|09|00 — 16 — 00
Aprelle 1597
		|6|				tt at that wilbe & shalbe. . . . . . . . . .		00|07|03 — 00 — 08

F.26^v / Greg I.52

(Aprelle 1597)

30

tt at what wilbe shalbe. . . . . . . . . .

00|14|00 — 17 — 08

F.27 / Greg I.53

June 1597

6

tt at what wilbe shalbe. . . . . . . . . .

00|10|00 — 16 — 00

July 1597

5

tt at what wilbe shalbe. . . . . . . . . .

00|10|02 — 00 — 00

Theatrical Provenance

"That Will Be Shall Be" was played by the Admiral's men at the Rose from 30 December 1596 through 5 July 1597.

Probable Genre(s)

The title appears proverbial, but no specific proverb has been linked to it. Its subject matter, therefore, is unknown.

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

No doubt there were circumstances in which early moderns said "what will be shall be," but no stories have specifically been associated with the phrase.

References to the Play

Information welcome.

Critical Commentary

Gurr considers it worth noting that Henslowe differentiates "That Will Be Shall Be" from "Jeronimo," "Alexander and Lodowick," and "A Woman Hard to Please" in a block of entries (F. 23) by specifying that its item in that block corresponds to its "second time of playinge" whereas items for the other plays correspond to their maiden performance (p. 224, n.57).

Works Cited

Gurr, Andrew. Shakespeare's Opposites: The Admiral's Company 1594-1625. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; 4 January 2020.