Category:Queen's (Elizabeth)

Origin

Of the companies under royal patronage in the Tudor period, the one whose business influenced the theatrical marketplace significantly in the 1580s was formed in March 1583 in conjunction with the authorization of Edmond Tilney, Master of Revels, to "chose out a companie of players for her maiestie" (qtd. in Chambers II.104). The definitive history of the company has been written by Scott McMillin and Sally-Beth MacLean, and their account in The Queen's Men and their Plays is the source here unless otherwise noted. Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's official who authorized Tilney, had no personal interest in the business of playing but "was aware of the cultural influence drama could have" (McMillin and MacLean 25). Apparently with the cooperation of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, Walsingham perceived the company as an attentive queen's representatives continuously on tour, "dressed in their vivid livery coats" and telling stories with her political and religious bias through their drama (28).

1583-1594

Players

There is no extant royal patent for the Queen's company to name the original players, but a license dated 28 November 1583 by the Court of Aldermen of the City of London provides a partial list: Robert Wilson, John Dutton, Richard Tarlton, John Laneham, John Adams, and William Johnson (Wickham 300). In that same and subsequent years the following players joined the company: John Bentley (1583), Lionel Cooke (1583), Laurence Dutton (1589), John Garland (1583, 1598), John Heminges (? >1588), Simon Jewell (? >1592), William Knell (>1587), Tobias Mills (1583), John Singer (1583), John Towne (1583), and John Symons (a tumbler, 1588-9).

A company of Queen's players were reorganized in May 1594, Richard Alleyn (1594), Hugh Davis (1594), Francis Henslowe (1594), Robert Nichols Robert Nichols (1594), William Smith (or Smyght, 1594, 1598), George Attewell (or Ottewell, 1595), Robert Moon (? 1597), John Cowper (1598), and John Shank (?).