Globe Theatre Female Roles
Interesting information about
the Globe Theatre Female Roles during the life and times
of William Shakespeare and Elizabethan London, England
Globe Theatre Female Roles
Women were forbidden, by
law, to perform in the Elizabethan theatre, therefore there were no actresses
at the Globe Theatre.
The acting profession was not a credible one and it was
unthinkable that any woman would appear in a play. The parts
of female characters were played by young boys. These boy
actors were usually aged between 13 and 19 years of age when
their voices were still high and muscles had not fully
developed. The voices of Elizabethan boys were believed to
break much later than the modern day due to differences in
diet and lifestyle which made it possible for boy actors to
play women’s parts convincingly until they entered their
late teens
Globe Theatre Female Roles -
The women's costumes and make-up
Women were allowed to act in the theatre
until 1660 as it was judged to be unseemly for a woman to undertake such
a profession. Young boys were therefore hired to act in the female roles.
The costumes used for the female characters were extremely elaborate,
reflecting the clothes worn during the Elizabethan era. The women's
costumes worn by the boy actors were constructed
with many layers of clothing. It would have therefore taken some considerable
time, and the help of a dresser, to dress a boy actor in the costume of a female.
Wigs, or periwigs as they were called, were readily available as they
were in fashion at the time so this was not a costuming problem. However,
the make up used by Elizabethan women, and therefore the boy actors, was!
The white make-up was lead based and highly
poisonous! The young boy actors were therefore very unhealthy, had
unpleasant facial skin diseases and a high proportion actually died of
lead poisoning. The boy actors who took the female roles were also paid
the least of all actors. The Admiral’s Men paid boy players three
shillings a week. The boys
were apprenticed to adult actors and their wages were paid to their masters.
In return the masters gave them board and lodging and a small allowance
to spend on themselves.
Globe Theatre Female Roles -
Character
recognition
Nearly every color of
clothing had its own meaning in relation to status and rank during the Elizabethan era. And these
meanings were totally understood by the audience. The colors, materials
and styles of the Globe Theatre Female Roles therefore conveyed an enormous amount of information as soon as
the boy actors walked on stage. As soon as a character
walked on the stage the fabric and color of his clothing would indicate
the role of the character he was playing. The character and rank of an
actor wearing a Globe Theatre costume made of velvets, furs, silks or lace
would be instantly recognised as a member of the Upper Class. Cottons and
taffeta would indicate a much lower status.
Globe Theatre Female Roles - The Masque and
Class differences
A great deal of attention is paid
the the fact that Lower Class Elizabethan women were not allowed to
perform on the Elizabethan stage as it would have been considered to be
lewd and highly immoral. This view was not taken regarding the
appearance of Upper Class Elizabethan women who appeared in court
masques! The mother of Queen Elizabeth certainly performed in masques!
The first recorded appearance of Anne Boleyn at the Tudor Court was on
March 1, 1522 was as a performer in a masque! Perhaps the element of
disguise allowed for this as vizards, or masks, were always worn by the
performers. But the more probable explanation was that these wealthy
women of the court wanted to be included in performing in such an
exciting diversion as a masque.
Globe Theatre Female Roles
Interesting Facts and information
about the Globe Theatre Female Roles.
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