Antony and Vallia

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Historical Records

Performance Records

Playlists in Philip Henslowe's diary

Fol. 11 (Greg, I.21)
ye 4 of Jenewary 1594
 . . . . . . . . .
Rd at valy a for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xjs
Fol. 12v Greg I.24)
ye 20 of June
. . . . . . . . .
Rd at antony & vallea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xxs
ye 6 of septmbʒ 1595
. . . . . . . . .
Rd at valia & antony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 xiijs
Fol. 13 (Greg I.25)
ye 26 of octobʒ 1595
. . . . . . . . .
Rd at valia & antony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xxxvijs



Theatrical Provenance

The play that theater historians collectively have called "Antony and Vallia" (based on Henslowe's variant spellings) had been acquired by the Admiral's men by January 1595, at which time it made its initial recorded performance at the Rose playhouse. Because Henslowe did not mark that showing with "ne" (the marking that most frequently distinguishes new plays in the diary playlists), theater historians have assumed a prior stage life for "Antony and Vallia," though no evidence suggests when and with which company that might have been.


Probable Genre(s)

Romance Harbage; Comedy Wiggins, Catalogue (#804

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

There are no obvious candidates for the title characters, and thus no obvious source texts for their story. See Critical Commentary below for a pattern of perceiving this play as an early version of some kind with a play called "Antonio and Vallia," itself lost yet attributed to Philip Massinger in 1620 with uncertain company provenance.

References to the Play

None known.

Critical Commentary

For What It's Worth

Works Cited




Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; 1 February 2021.