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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

This week in REP we shall be reading The Knight of Malta by John Fletcher, Nathan Field & Philip Massinger, as performed in 1618 by The King’s Men (Shakespeare’s company before his retirement). #ShakespeareSunday

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

REP returns with a full schedule this week. Mon: Palaeography session Tue: The Playmakers continue to write new work for the old company, currently featuring a suspiciously red-headed beggar. Wed: We read The Merry Devil of Edmonton by Dekker & Webster, revived by The King’s Men in 1618.

THE
MERRY DEVILL
EDMONTON.
As it hath beene sundry times Acted, by his Maieslies Seruants, at the Globe, on the banke-fide.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Tonight in REP we leave the King’s Men behind and finish our season reading All’s Lost By Lust (1619) by William Rowley, in our special request slot.

A
TRAGEDY
CALLED.
ALLS LOST
BY
L V S T.
Writen by William Rowley.
Divers times Acted by the Lady Elizabeths
SERVANTS.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

“The Lord Mayor hath taken his oath, is seated in his barge again …” Tonight in REP: a special selection of Lord Mayors’ pageants (1612-18) - texts prepared for reading by Gerald Baker.

Er… a figure with a crown and sceptre sat on an enormous leopard, mounted on a large box with five people, some carrying arrows, walking alongside.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

This week in REP we read The Elder Brother, performed by the King’s Men in 1618. Will the character played by Richard Burbage be given time offstage around Act 4, or has the arrival of younger actors diluted his stage time so that he no longer needs his traditional break? #ShakespeareSunday

Photo of a World Cup game:
TIME FOR
Richard Burbadge
HYDRATION BREAK
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Tonight in REP we return to reading The Winter’s Tale, marking its revival by The King’s Men in 1618.

From the title page of the play in Shakespeare’s First Folio

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Tonight in REP we read Thierry & Theodoret (1617/18) in which Brunhild is taxed with hot tainters (and I think we all know how that feels at the moment).

THE TRAGEDY
OF
Thierry and Theodoret.
Altus Primus.
Scæna Prima.
Enter Theodoret, Brunbalt, Bawd[b]er.
BRUNHALT.
TAxe me with the se h to o ntain ?
You are too sudain ;

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Tonight in REP we read Rollo, Duke of Normandy, as performed by The King’s Men in 1617.

Title page of the play: (“Acted by His Majesty’s Servants. Written by John Fletcher, Gent.”)

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

A reminder to REP members that despite our text of Volpone being a bespoke reduced version for the King’s Men 1617 revival - known as the #SlimNano edit - we are still starting at 7pm UK time (because Ben Jonson)

Cast list from the 1607 edition of Volpone

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Tonight in REP we read The Chances written by John Fletcher for The King’s Men in 1617

The Chances.
ACT I SCENE I.
Enter Peter and Anthony; (two Servingmen
Peter. WOuld we were removd from this Town ( Anthony)
That we might taste some quiet: for mine own part,
I'm almost melted with continual trotting
After Enguiries, Dreams, and Revelations,

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

This week in REP: Monday: Our palaeographers count the costs of herbs & flowers. Tuesday: Our playmakers are writing songs for beggars. Wednesday: We’re reading Court Masques again.

a manuscript fragment, a song fragment, the title of a masque.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

A reminder for REP members: tonight’s reading of The Devil Is An Ass begins at the earlier time of 7pm (because Ben Jonson).

Title page of The Devil Is An Ass:
A COMEDIE ACTED IN THE YEARE, 1616.
BY HIS MAIESTIES SERVANTS.
The Author BEN: IONSON.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

So, it looks as if we at REP are going to have to revise our opinions as to who played who in the original production of Hamlet. #Hamnet #Shakespeare

A playbill, partially covered by someone’s hand:

THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN
At the Globe Theatre, Bankside
Maiden St. LONDON
This present WEDNESDAY. September 22. 1599
A PERFORMANCE
Tragedie of
HAMLET.
Hamlet by a Mr. JUPE
Being his firs
(Being his firft Appearance on the Stage)
King
Mr. MASON
Horatio
by Mr. GO
Francifco
by Mr. GI
Laertef
by Mr. RUS.
The Fool
Mr. MARZAN
Marcellus
Mr. SHALLOU
Bernardo
by Mr. ALTIN
by THE PLAYWRIG
by Mr. SIMONS
by Mr. TENNO

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

In REP this week: Monday - our Palaeography group will transcribe rates of pay for Tudor carpenters Tuesday- the Playmakers will irked to discover that the word “anonymity” isn’t recorded before 1695 Wednesday - we read The Widow, which probably isn’t written by two of the people mentioned here.

Part of a manuscript; some line from a play in a word processor app; the cover of a Jacobean play, claiming to be written by Ben Johnson, John Fletcher & Tho. Middleton.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

In REP this week: Monday: our palaeography group will continue to work on documents of the Tudor Revels Office. Tuesday: our Playmakers mind their “yous” & “thous” whilst writing more scenes for The Cunning Florentines. Wednesday: we read Love’s Cure, as performed by the King’s Men in 1613.

A piece of manuscript with words, a spreadsheet of character names, the title page of Love’s Cure.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

REP returns to action this week. Monday: our palaeography group continues to work on documents of the Tudor Revels Office. Tuesday: our Playmakers will write more scenes for a brand new play from 1616, “The Cunning Florentines”. Wednesday: we read the Somerset Wedding Masques of 1613/14.

Three columns of text from a manuscript, a newly written play and a Jacobean printed book.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Tonight in REP we read Bonduca, a British tragedy by John Fletcher, performed by The King’s Men in 1614.

The Scene Britain.
The Principal Actors were
Richard Burbadge,
William Ostler,
Henry Condel,
John Lowin,
William Eglestone,
John Underwood,
Nich. Toolie,
Richard Robinson.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Stars and Statues Made Human, Olympian Knights, Princes of Virginia! This Wednesday in REP we read three masques for the Lady Elizabeth’s Wedding in 1613. - written by Chapman & Beaumont, designs by Inigo Jones, music by Johnson, Coprario & Confesse No Farthingales May Be Worn

From the title page of The Memorable Maske 1613
For more information see readingearlyplays.com

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

“Had I plantation of this isle, my lord … And were the king on’t, what would I do?” - Tonight in REP we will have an AGM at 7pm, followed by a reading of The Tempest to mark its 1612/13 revival by The Kings’ Men.

A scene from “The Tempest”. From “The Library Shakspeare, Volume One - Comedies”, illustrated by Sir John Gilbert, George Cruikshank and R. Dudley. Published in London by William Mackenzie, c1882.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Tonight we read The Maid's Tragedy by Beaumont and Fletcher (marking its revival by The King’s Men in 1612/13) - no difficulties finding a text, as we will be reading from group leader Martin Wiggins’ own edition of the play.

OXFORD WORLD'S CLASSICS
OXFORD ENGLISH DRAMA
Four JACOBEAN SEX
TRAGEDIES

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

We hope Princess Elizabeth & Frederick V turned up on time for the King’s Men 1613 revival of Othello, performed in celebration of their wedding (we know; not a great wedding play!) If they wanted to attend REP’s reading of the play they’d need to be there at 7pm not 7.30 (it’s a long play).

Image cropped from the First Folio edition of Othello

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

On Wednesday, the 1612 revival of Henry IV Part Two will follow our last week’s reading of Part One, as the King’s Men find the retiring Shakespeare still looking over their collective shoulders. #ShakespeareSunday

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

While our playreading sessions are on summer break our playmakers are wrestling with complex questions such as “How do you retrieve the headless corpse of a relative from a heavily guarded Venetian piazza?” The answer, of course, involves sailors, friars, devils and The Cunning Florentines.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

UPDATED: the trailer for our Playmakers’ newest writing project, now with a title reveal! (really not #ShakespeareSunday !)

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

REP’s Playmakers have a new project: a new source, a new story, a new date, a new set of characters to match with a new set of King’s Men actors; eventually, a new play that looks like an old one.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

At 6.15pm we read a play - if you’re at the Shakespeare Institute for #Britgrad2025 come & read with us. (* please note: this is not a real Jacobean tragedy, as performed by Shakespeare’s company! We wrote it ourselves, but we do like to think that it’s quite convincing & enjoyable.)

THE
NOBLE LADY
Of Chabry
PRESENTED BEFORE
his Maieste, the Queenes Maiestie, the Prince, Count Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth their
Highnesses,
in the Banqueting house at White-hall on Wednesday the twentieth day of lanuarie, 1612.
& sundry times Acted,
by his Maieties Seruants, at the Globe, on the banke-side.
③麿
LONDON.
Printed by T. C. for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul Church-yard at the signe of the Pide Bull neere
St. Austins Gate. 1613.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

This evening at @britgrad.bsky.social we read a play - if you’re at the Shakespeare Institute for #Britgrad come & read with us. (* please note: this is not a real Jacobean tragedy, performed by Shakespeare’s company! We wrote it ourselves, but we do like to think that it is quite convincing.)

Title page of an old play, in old spelling (but written in the last eighteen months):
THE
NOBLE LADY
Of Chabry
PRESENTED BEFORE
his Maieste, the Queenes Maiestie, the Prince, Count Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth their
Highnesses,
in the Banqueting house at White-hall on Wednesday the twentieth day of lanuarie, 1612.
& sundry times Acted,
by his Maieties Seruants, at the Globe, on the banke-side.
LONDON.
Printed by T. C. for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul Church-yard at the signe of the Pide Bull neere
St. Austins Gate. 1613.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Tonight in REP we return to Julius Caesar, for its 1613 revival by The King’s Men.

detail from:
The Assassination and Funeral of Julius Caesar, by Apollonio di Giovanni and Marco del Buono Giamberti (15th Century)
- in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

When reading The Merry Devil of Edmonton for its 1613 revival by The King’s Men this is surely the question one must ask:

Old printed text that reads :
Bil. And do you serve the good Duke of Norfolke still ?

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

On Wednesday in REP we will read Philaster by Beaumont & Fletcher. - it is subtitled Love Lies a Bleeding, so we will be investigating any signs of adaptation & influence in later, similarly titled, works (possibly).

Cover of a Penguin book, Love Lies Bleeding by Edmund Crispin

Cover of a DVD of the film Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Tonight in REP we read a slimmed down version of Ben Jonson’s Alchemist (“two short hours” he said) carefully slicing away up to 25% of the play. What could possibly go wrong? #THALCHMST

Text with some lines blacked out:

THE 'ARGEMENT.
T he Sicknelle hot, A Malter quit, for feare, H is Houfe in Towne : and left one Seruant there.
mow
A Cheater, and his Punque; who now brought low, L cauing their narrow practile, were become C os'ners at large: and, onely wanting fome H oufe to fet vp, with him they here contract,
Much company they draw, and much abufe S elling of Flyes, flat Bawdry, with the Stone:
T ill It, and They, and All in fume are gone.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

“two [short] hours” - maybe they meant it when they said it. [prologues by Jonson, (probably) Fletcher & Shakespeare]. - on Wednesday in REP we read a version of Jonson’s Alchemist reduced to something like the running time it claims for itself. #ShakespeareSunday #TwoHourJonson ?

Lines clipped from the prologues of three plays: The Alchemist, Henry VIII & Henry V. All three claim the play will last “two [short] hours”

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

An angry Armenian unicorn in George Chapman’s 1603 play Bussy D’Ambois for #NationalUnicornDay (see ALT for a modernised version of the text)

… as I once did see
In my young travels through Armenia,
An angry Unicorn in his full carrier
Charge with too quick an eye a jeweller,
That watched him for the treasure of his brow ;
And ere he could get shelter of a tree,
Nail him with his rich Antler to the Earth.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Thanks to all those who read and responded so positively to the Playmakers’ new/old play The Lady of Chabry. We’re already working through your observations & suggestions to refine our text for a further reading later this year. Below actual footage of our reaction to feedback from Martin Wiggins.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Tonight in REP the full premiere of The Lady of Chabry - a newly written play designed by our Playmakers group for the repertoire of Shakespeare’s King’s Men Company, and adapted to be performed at Court in 1613.

THE LADY OF CHABRY
[PROLOGUE AT COURT]
Enter HYMEN' in saffron robes,
crowned with roses and marjoram, carrying a torch of pine.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Tonight in REP we shall be slubbering up The Captain by Beaumont & Fletcher

Ang. I thought you, Julio, would not thus have stolen a marriage, without acquainting your friends.
Julio. Why, I did give thee inklings.
Ang. If a marriage should be thus slubbered up in a play, ere almost any body had taken notice you were in love, the spectators would take it to be but ridiculous.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

‘The Lady of Chabry’ was written by our Playmaking group in 2024/5, imagining a Jacobean tragedy as performed by Shakespeare’s company in 1612. REP will read the play on 19th March. - definitely not #ShakespeareSunday! - here one of the hired murderers of the Lord of Chabry is making his escape:

[2.3]
Enter Jean Tros
TROS
Now do the fingers of our fatal work
Spread through the land and 'gin to pinch the town.
A panic fear swells neath enforced calm.
Best not be taken idly in the street,
By those that search for flightsome murderers.
My dull confederates I've closely shut
Behind their doors. They'll hold their milky tongues
While that I play the bloody Tartar's part
And shake my beard at them. Meanwhile, this crime
Will have its wonted, creeping consequence:
To crush its authors 'neath the vengeful state Or else propel them on to unchecked rule.

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Very much Martin Wiggins’ modus operandi when introducing the plays for our readings in REP. #ShakespeareSunday

Bottom: First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on: then read the names of the actors & so grow to a point.
(modernised text from A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

On Wednesday 19th of February at 7.30 pm, we turn to The Maid’s Tragedy by Beaumont & Fletcher as REP continues reading through the plays of The King’s Men company.

Part of the title page of The Maid’s Tragedy x edition

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Reading Early Plays (REP) @playsrep.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

“The Muses forbid that I should restrain your meddling…” On Wednesday our readers (both ordinary & extraordinary) will meddle with Catiline’s Conspiracy by Ben Jonson; here is one minute from his address to his readers; the play itself being rather longer than that, we shall begin at 7pm. ⬆️🔊⬆️

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