When Did Shakespeare Get Involved In Theatre?

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When Did Shakespeare Get Involved In Theatre?

2 Answers

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Answer 1

The street fight mentioned, occured in 1587, when Shakespeare was, it is presumed, holding the horses of the gentry who had come to see the play. William Knell was the newly married juvenile lead of the Queen's Men, and he got into a fight with John Towne, a hired man, that is, not a member of the acting troupe. Towne accidently killed Knell. I don't know what happened to him, but in his defence, he mentioned, "Being In fear of his life", more than once! He was discharged! As Knell was the leading man, his death meant that every one in the company 'moved up!' Therefore Shakespeare, presumably in the lowly position of holding the horses, found himself brought "inside" to become one of the company. This is apocryphal.

Answer 2

Scholars cannot be sure as to when Shakespeare was introduced to theatre. Certainly, he was writing around about 1588-9 for his comedy "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" had been performed. In 1587, a member of the" Queens Men", died in a street fight, and Shakespeare may well have found his way into the close relationship of ACTORS at the time, for he certainly started out, as an actor! It is possible, that some of his earlier efforts in verse and rhyme, or even drama, are lost, and equally possible, that some of them survive anonymously. He may well have "collaborated", that is to say, had a hand in writing the odd snippet here and there, as a way of getting in to the playwriting "thing". He was certainly the author, or, co-author of "Titus Andronicus", which he stole from George Peele, Thomas Nashe wrote some of HenryVI part I, and other hands have been detected in Henry VI part 2, and Richard Duke of York, (Henry VI part 3) It's not until 1598, that Francis Meres, an admirer of his, gives an account of the works written by William Shakespeare, and lists six comedies known to him, including Love's Labours Won, thought to be quite something else, and forgotten until 1953, when a scrap of parchment turned up with the forgotten play remarked upon!. Apparently 1500 copies were printed!