Between 1576, when the first theatre opened in London, and 1642, when Oliver Cromwell shut down the playhouses, drama became England’s premier art form. The last decades of Elizabeth I’s reign saw an extraordinary flowering of creativity, during which drama became the premier form of entertainment. This rich cultural life developed despite a stormy political scenario in which the queen was challenged by France and Spain, and Roman Catholic factions plotted to restore England’s religious alliance with Rome.
William Shakespeare’s plays reflected these turbulent times, in locations familiar to every playgoer, from the palaces of Westminster, Whitehall and Hampton Court to the Tower of London, both palace and prison a terrifying reminder to anyone who challenged the Crown.
TUDOR LONDON
Shakespeare’s London was smaller than the city of today, a…