The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 18.0386 Monday, 18 June 2007
[1] From: Matteo Pangallo <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Friday, 15 Jun 2007 17:02:28 -0400
Subj: Re: SHK 18.0377 How long to write a play?
[2] From: Colin Cox <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Friday, 15 Jun 2007 14:46:40 -0700
Subj: Re: SHK 18.0377 How long to write a play?
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Matteo Pangallo <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Friday, 15 Jun 2007 17:02:28 -0400
Subject: 18.0377 How long to write a play?
Comment: Re: SHK 18.0377 How long to write a play?
The writing of *The Tragedy of Sir John van Olden Barnavelt* provides a
timeline for the writing of a play, though given the unique
circumstances (the fact, for example, that the King's Men had lost
almost all of the 1619 playing season by the time it was written may
have prompted the writers to speed up the process and get it on the
stage as soon as possible) it may not be most reliable as a standard.
Oldenbarnevelt and his confederates were beheaded in the Netherlands on
May 13, 1619. One day later news of the event had reached King James,
and four days later it was available in print form on the streets of
London. On August 14, 1619 (3 months after the event), Thomas Locke
wrote in a letter that "The Players heere were bringinge of Barnavelt
vpon the stage, and had bestowed a great deale of money to prepare all
things for the purpose, but at th' instant were prohibited by my Lo: of
London [John King, Bishop of London]" (quoted by Bentley, vol. iii, p.
415). One month later Locke wrote another letter noting that "Our
players haue fownd the meanes to goe through with the play of Barnavelt,
and it hath had many spectators and reaued applause" (ibid).
This timeline suggests approximately 4 months for the composition,
transcription, revision, licensure (which seems to have been
particularly difficult for this play), rehearsal, and performance. And
two internal references to contemporary events suggest an even shorter
timeline (by July 14, 1619 at the earliest) for the initial draft: less
than 2 months.
It's probably safest to state simply that different writers took varied
amounts of time to write their works depending on a number of highly
flexible variables such as financial conditions, theatrical
considerations, the input of collaborators, the revisions required by
the Master of the Revels, etc.-to say nothing of differing degrees of
creative ability between writers.
- Matteo Pangallo
[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Colin Cox <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Friday, 15 Jun 2007 14:46:40 -0700
Subject: 18.0377 How long to write a play?
Comment: Re: SHK 18.0377 How long to write a play?
As a playwright, with first hand experience of the agony of putting
words to page, the phrase, 'average time to write a play', seems
somewhat nebulous. Our own good Bill has thirty-seven plays in
twenty-three years at the rate of 2-3 per year. Kit Marlowe has seven
plays in his brief seven years (86-93) for 1 a year. Thomas Heywood, on
the other hand, by his own admission, had his hand, or 'at leaste a
maine finger', in an astounding two hundred and twenty plays (The
English Traveller) between 1590 and 1640, with a five year hiatus.
That's an eye-popping five plays a year for half a century!
Colin Cox
_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The S H A K S P E R Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>
DISCLAIMER: Although SHAKSPER is a moderated discussion list, the
opinions expressed on it are the sole property of the poster, and the
editor assumes no responsibility for them.