2 - Shakespeare’s Life, Times, and Stage

Summary

Yoshiko Kawachi’s Calendar of English Renaissance Drama, 1558–1642 is likely to find its way on to the reference shelves of most libraries. It attempts to present, in tabular form and chronological order, as much essential information as possible about every known play, masque, or entertainment of consequence in the period, extant or lost, acted or not. (The only significant omissions would appear to be the less noteworthy provincial religious dramas and civic entertainments, which are being dutifully catalogued in the Records of Early English Drama series.) Each entry lists, in so far as the information can be determined, whether the work was performed or not, the date of first performance (subsequent recorded performances receive separate entries) or other early evidence of existence (such as date of licensing, entry in the Stationers’ Register, or publication), the place of performance and principal persons before whom it was performed, the actors, the title, the type of the work (tragedy, pastoral, masque etc.), the author(s), date of the earliest editions and existence of any manuscripts, and a brief indication of the source of the information. This is all cross-referenced by works, authors, and acting companies. There are, inevitably, limitations. Where, as in many cases, matters of dating or authorship are disputed, the Calendar does no more than suggest limits or note queries, relying for the most part on standard authorities like the Annals of English Drama, Chambers, and Bentley; it does not refer us to the most recent discussions of such matters.