The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0628 Tuesday, 6 April 1999.
From: Dave Kathman <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 5 Apr 1999 22:30:08 -0600
Subject: 10.0617 Assorted Questions
Comment: Re: SHK 10.0617 Assorted Questions
On the subject of Nathan Field and the Children of Her Majesty's Revels,
Jeffrey Myers wrote:
>Why is Nathan Field, who would have been 22 at the time, listed as one
>of "the principal comedians" when this company performed Epicoene in
>1609? Isn't that a bit old? Was the company no longer a children's
>company at that point?
This was essentially a new company, formed by Robert Keysar and Phillip
Rosseter out of the remnants of the Blackfriars Boys after the long
plague closure of 1608-9. It was a "children's" company in name only,
since the actors were actually young men. Besides the 22-year-old
Field, the only other member of that 1609 cast whose age we can
determine was William Barkstead, who was 19 or 20 at the time. Another
cast member, Hugh Attewell, must have been at least 17 and probably
older in 1609, since four years later he was called "gentleman" and
witnessed a loan, indicating that he was of legal age.
Dave Kathman
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
