THE RED BULL THEATRE
The next theatre on our list is the Red Bull, until lately unanimously assigned to the year 1609. Professor Lawrence, in his second series of Elizabethan studies, would antedate this reckoning by nearly a decade; unfortunately no reference is given for this early date. After spending many fruitless hours in search of fresh discoveries, I inserted a note in Notes and Queries, receiving by return one private communication, and a few answers through the journal itself. Although my note was perfectly clear, the information was what was already known, and dealt chiefly with the later fortunes of the Red Bull.
Professor Baker, even as late as 1907, dates the opening of the theatre after 1608. The observant reader will readily perceive that the history of the early English stage is in a state of chaos. Scholars such as Mr. Greg, Mr. Chambers, Sir Sidney Lee, and Prof. Lawrence, who are especially endowed with thorough knowledge of the subject, should for the benefit of posterity undertake the colossal task of re-writing the history of the stage during the Shakesperean period. Mr. Fleay’s chronicle history of the stage is much too fragmentary, from the theatrical point of view, for the guidance either of the general student or readers interested in the subject.
In my opinion all Collier’s works must be entirely discarded as this dishonest littérateur forged documents, notes, and even whole books, in order to substantiate his theories. Certainly he possessed great knowledge of the matter, and may well be termed the pioneer in scientific research, but his criminal methods require that the student must verify all his statements, therefore if the reader is wise, all this author’s works should be rejected on account of the difficulty of distinguishing the true from the false.
The site of the Red Bull is situated near the Clerkenwell Road end of St. John Street, formerly called St. John Street Road. On the left hand side, going towards the Angel, Islington, is Hayward’s Place; close by is Woodbridge Street, on this space stood the Red Bull. Previous to the year 1609 nothing is heard of this theatre in the annals of the stage. Recently documents have come to light proving its earlier existence, and, as stated above, Professor Lawrence would place the date as early as 1600. A well-known print of this theatre, of which I possess the original copy, is generally styled “The inside of the Red Bull Theatre.” This engraving first appeared in a book called Kirkman’s Wits or Sport upon Sport, published in two parts, a second edition being reissued in one volume in 1673, with the engraving as frontispiece, the original print does not bear any inscription; this is found only on the modern reproduction issued in 1809. The print was sold separately which may possibly account for the fanciful description. One glance at the drawing will convince the student that the print can in no way be associated with the old Red Bull Theatre. The Red Bull was a public theatre, being open to the sky, with a thatched roof, performances being given only in the daytime. Now the print plainly indicates by the inclusion of chandeliers hanging from the roof, as well as a row of rabbit-eared footlights along the front, that if a contemporary theatre is represented a private one is intended.
Reproduced from an original engraving in the possession of the Author. Erroneously inscribed as the interior of the Red Bull Theatre. Now generally identified as the inside of a theatre during the Commonwealth.
The massing of spectators on either side of the stage is evidence that the drawing is an imaginary one, made up partly from an early Elizabethan stage, combined with the Restoration Stage of Charles II.
Possibly it may represent a real stage of the latter period, but cannot under any circumstances resemble the old Red Bull Playhouse during any time of its existence. Seven characters are represented on the stage, illustrating a few of the plays that could be acted by a strolling company. The principal motive of Kirkman’s book is “for those players who intend to wander or go a strolling; this very Book and a few ordinary properties are enough to set them up and get money in any Town in England.”
1. Sir J. Falstafe and Hostes represent characters of that name in Shakespeare’s “Henry IV.”
2. The figure emerging from behind the curtain is Green, the actor, who took the part of Bubble, the City Gallant, whose answer to every complaint is “Tu quoque,” the play on this account being re-christened “Tu quoque.” The play was published in 1614, and is still extant. There is evidence that the drama was acted at the Red Bull in the year 1611.
3. Clause is one of the chief characters in the “Lame Commonwealth,” taken from “The Beggar’s Bush,” a tragic-comedy, by John Fletcher, circa 1615. The scene is laid somewhere in Flanders, but the play is named after a well-known tree, called “The Beggar’s Bush,” between Huntingdon and Coxton. The play was first printed in 1647. On looking up an old theatrical dictionary, dated 1792, this play is ascribed to Beaumont and Fletcher, and is written “The Beggar’s Bush.”
4. “French Dancing Mr.,” a droll taken from the Duke of Newcastle’s play called “Variety,” printed in 1647. The dictionary adds that this play was acted with very great applause at the Black Fryars.
5. “Simpleton” seems to be an independent farce, in which one, Robert Cox, an actor, made a great hit and caused roars of laughter from the unsophisticated audience by eating a huge slice of bread and butter, and complaining that a man cannot be left undisturbed to eat a little bit for his afternoon luncheon.
6. The “Changling” is a character in Middleton’s tragedy of that name. Antonio, who pretends idiocy in order that he may gain access to the wife of a mad doctor. This play was acted before the Court at Whitehall in 1624.
The history of this theatre still awaits an historian.
Its most enthusiastic supporters were the rougher elements of the population, who then, as now, chiefly delighted in lurid melodrama of a very pronounced type. The Chancery proceedings, in 1617, elicit the fact that certain members of the Red Bull company were sued for money owed; further proceedings state that they were unable to satisfy the claim—certain evidence that their finances were anything but prosperous.
This theatre cannot claim any Shakesperean associations, although enjoying a longer lease of life than any other playhouse of that period, being last named as a theatre as late as the year 1663. Pepys, the celebrated Diarist, visited the Red Bull in 1661. Mr. Barton Baker, in his history of the London stage, suggests that the Red Bull Theatre was originally an inn-yard, theatrical performances taking place there; he also casually mentions an accident caused by the collapse of the auditorium. By the word auditorium I presume he means the galleries that surrounded the yard on three sides. Mr. Baker does not give any references for these statements, or give further details of the event.
An interesting notice of this theatre, which existed during the early days of the Commonwealth, will be found in Randolphe’s “Muses’ Looking Glass.”
THE GLOBE.
Wherein, quoth he, reigns a whole world of vice,
Had been consumed, the Phœnix burnt to ashes,
The Fortune whipped for a blind—Blackfriars,
He wonders how it escaped demolishing
In the time of Reformation; lastly he wished
The Bull might cross the Thames to the Bear-gardens
And there be soundly baited.
Edward Allen, the Elizabethan actor, also mentions this theatre in a manuscript note preserved at Dulwich College: “Went to the Red Bull and received for the Younger Brother (a play) but £3 6s. 4d.”
In 1629 a company of French comedians acted here for one day only. After being deserted by the actors, the Red Bull offered various entertainments to the public. There is extant a bill which was formerly in possession of Mr. Eliot Hodgson, advertising a fencing match at the Red Bull on Whit Monday, 30th May, 1664. This is surmounted by a large woodcut of the Royal Arms, and is printed on a sheet of coarse paper, measuring 5⅚ inches by 7½ inches. No authentic view of either the interior or the exterior is in existence.
Above the illustration of the Red Bull Theatre check will be found a facsimile of an admission to the Roman Coliseum, built A.D. 72. This rare specimen is perfectly genuine, and was purchased by me many years ago at the Buxton Forman sale. It is an interesting souvenir of ancient theatrical times; the numerals, VII, on the reverse refer to one of the sections of the vast building, and may have been a complimentary ticket before the tax on deadheads came into vogue.
When the building was finally demolished is likewise uncertain. An interesting metal check ticket, giving admittance to the Upper Gallery of the Red Bull, is extant, the date of which is between the Restoration and the closing of the Red Bull as a theatre, namely, 1660–1663. The obverse has the head of a bull, within a wreath, tied in a knot with ribbons; a double ring encircles the entire figure. The reverse has simply the words Upper Gallery one above the other, a star is over the second P in upper, and another under the second L of Gallery; the whole is within a double lined circle.
Facsimile of an admission ticket to the Roman Coliseum. Circa A.D. 90. Reproduced from a genuine ivory ticket in the possession of the Author.
Ticket of Admission to the Red Bull Theatre.
The writer of an article on Shakespeare, in which an illustration appears, considers this check as a souvenir of the Globe; this ascription may be due to a clerical error. Most writers on Shakesperean matters, unless they are expert students, are seldom accurate in their statements; they are too apt in seeking information from paragraphs culled from ancient encyclopædias, a very unsafe medium for sound knowledge. Almost every sentence requires patient research; in some instances a dozen or more books must be consulted in verifying quite an ordinary statement, and very few writers possess the necessary patience for such monotonous work. For suchlike people I would recommend novel writing—a much easier task, and which can be pursued without interruption.
The large theatre in the foreground is the Second Globe Theatre, 1614. The small one is the Hope.