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The Probable Source of 'Dead Man's Fortune’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Henry T. Salerno
Henry T. Salerno*
Affiliation:
Purdue University
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Extract

Dead Man's Fortune, played around 1590 or earlier, survives only as a plot oudine of entrances of the various characters. Although the outline gives the appearance of a scenario of the commedia dell' arte with its indication of entrances and action and therefore would suggest the practice of improvised drama in England, upon comparison with any scenario of the commedia dell' arte, it proves to be inadequate as a story outline; the ordinary scenario is much more comprehensive in its indication of plot and action. Therefore, the outline was probably used as a stage reminder. Also the fact that no exits are indicated suggests that it was probably tacked up offstage somewhere near the entrances to help cue the actors.

Type
Research Article
Information
Renaissance News , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , Autumn 1959 , pp. 171 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © Renaissance Society of America 1959

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References

1 Malone, Edmond, ed., The Plays and Poems of William Shakespeare (London, 1821), III, 356 Google Scholar.

2 Malone, III, 430.

3 The Mask, ed. Gordon Craig, VI (1913), 140-141.

4 The Mask, III (1910-11), 118.

5 Scala, Flaminio, Il teatro delle favole rappresentative, overo la ricreatione comica, boscareccia et tragica: divisa in cinquanta giornate (Venetia, 1611)Google Scholar, Giorn. v.