Disguises
Historical Records
Henslowe's Diary
F. 13 (Greg I.25)
ye 2 of octob[er] 1595 ………. ne R[d] at the desgysses ………. xxxxiijs ye 10 of octob[er] 1595 ………. R[d] at the desgyses ………. xxixs ye 16 of octob[er] 1595 ………. R[d] at the desgysses ………. xs ye 27 of octob[er] 1595 ………. R[d] at the desgyses ………. xixs ye 30 of octob[er] 1595 ………. R[d] at the desgysses ………. xxixs
F. 14 (Greg, I.27)
ye 10 of novmb[er] ………. R[d] at desgysses ………. xvs
Theatrical Provenance
Disguises was the fourth play with Henslowe's enigmatic "ne" offered at the Rose by the Admiral's players in the fall season of 1595. Its receipts averaged 24s. per performance.
Probable Genre(s)
Comedy ? (Harbage)
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
None known.
References to the Play
None known.
Critical Commentary
As is the case with many lost plays, scholars have suggested that Disguises be identified with another lost play or an extant one.
- Collier considered it a new play, but entertained the possibility that it might have had connections with "the species of dramatic entertainment" called "'a disguising'"; he also suggested that it might have anticipated plays such as George Chapman's Blind Beggar of Alexandria, in which "one actor assumed several characters" (Diary, p. 59).
- Fleay thought the play "the original version" of Chapman's extant May Day (BCED, 2.304), but at his entry for May Day he did not explain his reasoning (BCED, 1.51).
- Greg repeated Fleay's suggestion of May Day, but expressed no enthusiasm for the link because the extant text of Chapman's play shows "no trace of revision" (II. Item 78, p. 177).
- Adams?
- Harbage, apparently following Adams, links Disguises with the lost Disguises or love in disguise, a pettycoat voyage attributed to Thomas Dekker on Abraham Hill's list of early plays in manuscript.
- Gurr argues that Disguises is Henslowe's title for the extant Look About You.
For What It's Worth
Works Cited
Adams
Gurr
Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita; updated 7 February 2012.