Tudor Entertainment Theatre Music Sports Executions

Theatre Watching plays became very popular during the Tudor times. This popularity was helped by the rise of great playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe as well as the building of the Globe Theatre in London. By 1595, 15,000 people a week were watching plays in London. It was during Elizabeth's reign that the first real theatres were built in England. Before theatres were built actors travelled from town to town and performed in the streets or outside inns.

Theatre The Globe Theatre was built on the River Thames. It was circular and had seats around the walls which cost two pence or three pence if you had a cushion. Globe Theatre in London

Theatre The seats around the wall enabled people to watch the play and kept them out of the worst of the weather. Most theatres had no roof. The cheapest places were in the so- called pit. This was the area in front of the stage. People would pay about a penny to see the play and they stood for the duration of the play.

Tudor Music Music played an important role in the lives of both the rich and poor people who lived during the Tudor period. Henry VIII was very keen muscian and had a large collection of musical instruments which he played. He was said to have been a very talented musician who composed ballads and church music, although these have all been lost. When he died he left a collection of instruments that included: 5 Bagpipes 78 Recorders 78 Flutes

Tudor Music Stringed instruments Harp This was smaller than the harp we know today with fewer strings. Citole The Citole is the ancestor of our modern guitar. It had a fretted neck and wire strings which were plucked. Viol This fretted instrument is similar to the modern violin although it was played sitting down with the instrument resting between the legs of the player.

Tudor Music Psaltery Psalteries were wire-strung instruments mounted on a hollow wooden box. They were played sitting down with the instrument placed on the performers lap. Hurdy Gurdy This is an unusual instrument which seems to have bits of both the violin and the piano. It was played by turning a small wheel with one hand while the other hand pressed down on a set of keys (a bit like a piano) to adjust their pitch. As the wheel turns, it rubs against the strings (like the bow on a violin), and this makes the strings vibrate. Rebec This instrument was pear shaped and usually had just four strings. It was played with a bow.

Tudor Music Flute Tabor drum Frame drums Nakers Bagpipe Crumhorn

Tudor Sports Real Tennis is the original game upon which todays tennis game is based. Henry VIII played the sport at Hampton Court Palace. Anne Boleyn was arrested whilst watching a game of real tennis at Hampton Court Jousting is a game that takes place between two mounted knights. The knights use a variety of weapons including: axes, lances, daggers and swords. The aim of the sport was to de-horse the opponent.

Tudor Sports Some sports in the Tudor times were banned! A law was passed in 1512 that banned ordinary people from a whole range of games including tennis, dice, cards, bowls and skittles. This was because the government wanted people to work more and play less. Individual bears were chained to a post in a bear-ring. A group of dogs were then set on the bear. The dogs tried to kill the bear by biting its throat. Both Henry VIII and Elizabeth enjoyed watching bear-baiting. A ring was even built in the grounds of Whitehall so that the Tudor monarchs could watch bear-baiting from the windows of the palace. Bear-baiting

Execution A public execution was an event not to be missed and people would queue through the night to get the best places. There was always a carnival atmosphere and pie sellers, ale merchants and producers of execution memorabilia did a good trade. Methods of

This was a punishment that resulted in your head being chopped off! The heads were sometimes placed on spikes along London Bridge or other places. Beheading was considered less degrading than hanging, and it usually killed more quickly. Noblemen (rich) who committed crimes were more likely to be beheaded than hung. Hanging from the gallows. A piece of rope was put around the neck making it hard for the person to breathe. The person would be hung from the rope until he/she had stopped breathing and was dead. People were hung for crimes such as stealing, treason, rebellion, riot or murder. Execution

Whipping (flogging) Many towns had a whipping post. The victim was chained to the post, stripped to the waist and whipped. You could be whipped for stealing a loaf of bread! The pillory (standing) The pillory was a T shaped block of wood with holes for the hands in the crossbar of the T. The person being punished would have to stand in the device in the middle of the market to be ridiculed by passersby.

Execution The ducking stool (Punishment for women) Accused witches were dunked into a river, to see if they were innocent or guilty. If they floated, they were considered guilty and burnt at the stake. If they sank, they were innocent but died anyway, by drowning. Either way, they perished. The Drunkard's Cloak This was a punishment for public drunkenness. The drunk was forced to don a barrel and wander through town while the villagers jeer at him. Holes were cut in the barrel for the person's hands and head, causing it to become like a heavy, awkward shirt.