Blackfriars Theatre
|
|
Blackfriars Theatre was the name of two separate theatres in London, built on grounds previously belonging to a Dominican monastery. The name 'Blackfriars' was attached to the theatre honoring the garb that the Dominicans wore. The first Blackfriars theatre served for rehearsal and performance by children's companies between 1576 and 1584, when the theatre was closed due to political content. The second Blackfriars was an indoor theatre built elsewhere on the property at the instigation of James Burbage, which hosted some performances of The King's Men.
The theatre closed at the onset of the English Civil War, and was demolished in 1655.
One replica of the Blackfriars Theatre exists today in Staunton, Virginia. Shakespearean and other Renaissance plays are performed there four nights a week.
External links
- The Blackfriars Theatre (http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/blackfriars.htm) article from Luminarium.
- The Blackfriars Playhouse (http://www.ishakespeare.com/), the world's only replica of Shakespeare's original.