Alcmaeon

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Historical Records

Government Documents

Accounts of the Office of the Revels


Entries from the Revels Accounts for 1573-4 include the following (Feuillerat,Revels p. 193):

                                                   {  Predor : & Lucia. played by Therle of Leices-           }
                                                                                        {  ters servauntes vpon Saint stevens daye at nighte }
                                                                                       {   at whitehall aforesaide/                                                        }
                                                      Alkmeon, playde by the Children of Powles on         }     vj. all fytted and ffur-
                                                      {  Saint Iohns daye at nighte there/                                      }    nyshed with the store
                                                      Mamillia. playde by therle of Leicesteres ser-           }     of thoffice and with the
                                                      {  uauntes on Innosentes daye at nighte there/             }    woorkmanshipp and
                           Playes showen                  Truth, ffaythfullnesse, & Mercye, playde by             }    provisions herein
                           at whytehall                     {  the Children of westminster for Elderton vpon           }    expressed as followeth
                           videlicit                  {  New yeares daye at nighte there/                                      }    hereafter orderly.
                                                      Herpetulus the blew knighte & perobia playde by  }     ffirst the wages and
                                                      {  my Lorde klintons servantes the third of Ianuary        }     then the Emptions
                                                      {  being the sunday after Newyeares daye there/           }     with the other charges
                                                      Quintus ffablus playd by the Children of wyndsor    }     incident
                                                      {  ffor Mr ffarrant on Twelfe daye at nighte lykewise       }    
                                                      {  at whitehall.                                                                                     }



Theatrical Provenance


The one known performance of "Alcmaeon" was at court, where it was performed by Paul's Boys under the direction of Sebastion Westcott, Master of the Choir School at St. Paul's Cathedral, from at least 1557 until his death in 1582 (Chambers, ES, 2.9, 15).

Probable Genre(s)


Classical legend Harbage, Wiggins, Catalogue #548

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

The story of Alcmaeon is told by Ovid in The Metamorphoses.

References to the Play


Information welcome.

Critical Commentary

For What It's Worth

Works Cited

Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson; Last updated by Rlknutson on 28 February 2023 18:03:14