PLAY-HOUSE. The most ancient English play-houses were the Curtain in Shoreditch, and the Theatre. In the time of Shakespeare, who commenced a dramatic writer about the year 1592, there were no less than ten theatres open, four private houses, and six that were called public theatres. Most, if not all, of Shakespeare's plays were performed either at the Globe, which was an hexagonal building, partly open to the weather and partly covered with reeds, on the southern side of the river Thames, called the Bank-side, and a public theatre, where they always acted by day-light; or at the theatre in Blackfriars, which was a private play-house, and where plays were usually represented by candle-light. Both these belonged to the same company of comedians, viz. his majesty's servants; which title they assumed after a licence had been granted to them by king James in 1603, having before this time been called the servants of the lord chamberlain. The exhibitions at the Globe seem to have been calculated chiefly for the lower class of peo-
ple, and those at Blackfriars for a more select and judicious audience. The former was a summer, and the latter a winter theatre. Many of our ancient dramatic pieces were performed in the yards of carrier's inns; in which, in the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign, the comedians, who then first united themselves in companies, erected an occasional stage. The form of these temporary play-houses seems to be preserved in our modern theatre. Many circumstances concur to render it probable, that our ancient theatres, in general, were only furnished with curtains, which opened in the middle, and a single scene composed of tapestry, sometimes ornamented with pictures. In the year 1605, Inigo Jones exhibited an entertainment at Oxford, in which moveable scenes were used; but they were not then used in the public theatres. When Sir William Davenant first opened, by virtue of his patent, the duke of York's theatre in Lincoln's-Inn fields, in the spring of the year 1662, with one of his own plays, the siege of Rhodes, then scenes made their first appearance upon the English stage; and about the same time actresses were also introduced, probably by him, in imitation of the foreign theatres; and Mira Betterton is said to have been the first woman that appeared on the English stage. Before this time female characters were represented by boys or young men. In the time of Shakespeare plays began at one o'clock in the afternoon, and the exhibition was usually finished in two hours; and so late as 1667, they commenced at three o'clock. See Malone's Supplemental Observations to Steevens's edition of Shakespeare.
If any persons shall, in plays, &c. jestingly or profanely use the name of God, they shall forfeit 10 l. Stat. 1. Jac. I. cap. 21. And players speaking any thing in derogation of religion, &c. are liable to forfeitures and imprisonments. 1. Eliz. Also acting plays or interludes on a Sunday is subject to penalties, by 1 Car. I. cap. 1. No person shall act any new play, or addition to an old one, &c. unless a true copy thereof, signed by the master of the play-house, be sent to the lord chamberlain 14 days before it be acted, who may prohibit the representing any stage-play; and persons acting contrary to such prohibitions shall forfeit 50 l. and their licences, &c. Stat. 10. Geo. II. cap. 28. And by this statute, no licence is to be given to act plays, but in the city and liberties of Westminster, or places of his majesty's residence.