Playhouses in Shakespeare’s time: why ‘play’? why ‘house’?

As York celebrates the coming of the Rose playhouse to the city, this free pre-show talk asks what ‘playhouse’ really means and how this affects our understanding of Shakespeare. The talk will have a double focus: first on the various forms of play – ‘play’ meaning ‘fun’ – that were sold within playhouses, including food, drink, books, ballads, prostitution and drama; second on the various forms of house – house meaning habitation or clan – that made up playhouses, including tap-houses, tiring-houses, necessary-houses and the actors themselves.

Come and find out more about the lives of the playhouses in Shakespeare’s time before attending a performance in York’s own reconstructed playhouse, the Shakespeare Rose Theatre. 

You can read further information about this event, and book your free ticket, via Eventbrite. 

Playhouses Talk (PDF , 2,438kb)