The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 22.0024   Thursday, 27 January 2011

From:           Tom Bishop <
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Date:          Wednesday, January 26, 2011 3:31:41 AM ET
Subject: 	     Corpsing?

Does anyone know of any references in early modern drama or associated materials to the phenomenon now 
known as "corpsing" where an actor becomes seized by laughter in the middle of a performance? There are 
obvious places for playing games of this kind in Shakespeare, when Malvolio opens his letter and when 
Falstaff abuses "the gunpowder Percy" for instance, but specific accounts are hard to come by.

Thanks, 
Tom


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