Here’s an interesting little puzzle. On 21 January 1617/18, Richard Cholmeley paid the players of Philip Lord Wharton (of Healaugh, WR) six shillings for a performance of ‘The Dumb Knight’ at his estate in Brandsby/Stearsby. This play, by Lewis Machin and Gervase Markham, has twenty-three speaking parts and at least nine non-speaking roles as printed in 1608. The most efficient doubling scheme only reduces that number by two or three. It seems unlikely that Wharton’s Men was a company of this size – were the numbers filled out with locals? Or was the play as toured significantly reduced from its published form? Just how did travelling companies deal with large-cast plays?
— This month’s Flower is provided by David Klausner, Professor emeritus of English and Medieval Studies, University of Toronto.
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