The company of the Lady Elizabeth, daughter of James I, acted at this house. A list of actors’ names is recorded in the Herbert MSS. After the Restoration the theatre was once more used for play-acting, the last recorded performance taking place in 1664. Cockpit Court, Drury Lane, marked in Strype’s map of London, 1720, stood on the site of the old theatre. In later years the Court was known as Pit Court, but now this place has entirely vanished. Formerly a cockpit existed in this neighbourhood, from which the theatre was named. Like so many other theatres of this period, no authentic views are known.
ST. PAUL’S SINGING SCHOOL
Many printed plays have inscribed on their title pages: “As played by the Children of Powles.” Very little is known of their place of acting. The exact site on which that part of the Cathedral was allotted to these boy actors still remains a point of discussion. Many authorities assert that the music room of the choir in St. Gregory’s Church, in a corner of St. Paul’s, was the place assigned to them; others consider the yard adjoining Convocation House, a more convenient spot, and thoroughly suitable for a dramatic performance. Professor Lawrence is in favour of the singing school, near the Convocation House. Until further evidence is forthcoming the question cannot be finally determined. St. Paul’s singing school was built in the year 1581, and remained in use until 1596, when it was suppressed. A few years later this room may have been occupied by the Children of St. Paul’s, and many a famous play of that period was probably acted there. All the great dramatists, with the exception of Shakespeare, wrote for the Boy Actors. The place served as a training ground for young actors, who afterwards joined the professional men’s companies. Shakespeare bitterly satirized these juveniles in “Hamlet.”
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