The enormous sale of roast pork at bartholomew fair ceased, says mr. In another scene, cokes admires all the junk that leatherhead and trash are. Bartholomew fair is a satirical comedy written by ben jonson. It was first staged on 31 october 1614 at the hope theatre by the lady elizabeths men company. Written four years after the alchemist, five after epic. Oct 04, 2017 bartholomew fair has a rather unusual introduction in which ben jonson cautions his audience that the author is sensitive to criticism and it would be best that they behave. Illustration of bartholomew fair the british library. The bartholomew fair is the setting for bartholomew fair, a play by ben jonson. Bartholomew fair 1614 by 16thcentury english playwright ben johnson is a comedy. Articles of agreement, indented, between the spectators or hearers, at the hope on the bankside, in the county of surrey, one the one party. For lightly as jonson regarded his task, bartholomew fair is a play of surpassing power. Bartholomew fair is a jacobean comedy in five acts by ben jonson. Chloridia was the second of a duet of 1631 royal masques, the first being loves triumph through callipolis, which had been staged six weeks earlier, on 9 january. Bartholomew fair, 2011 lantern leatherhead, musical director.
As we snuff out the candles, open the windows, and let in the replicated daylight, prepare yourselves for a radical reimagining of our sam wanamaker playhouse as ben johnsons kaleidoscopic bartholomew fair brings the sights and smells of modern day london to life. A chaste maid in cheapside, 2011 welsh gentlewoman. Bartholomew fairthe persons wikisource, the free online. Obviously bartholomew fair is a risky business, both commercially and artistically, but the production was fully vindicated by stratfords generous use of its acting resources and its talent for. Richard is a globe associate artist, having performed in hamlet and as you like it as part of the globe ensemble last summer. And though we should undoubtedly incur the scorn of the author were he to hear three centuries later this admission of human weakness, our judgment agrees with that of the people. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. I have now read bartholomew fair several times, and yet i still find it necessary to revisit the cast listing as new characters appear. Bartholomew s fair were probably the two most important fairs in england. Being somewhat drunk, he took moll for a ride in a coach to the spring garden, where they walked in the gardens and he continued to drink. Bartholomew fair has a rather unusual introduction in which ben jonson cautions his audience that the author is sensitive to criticism and it would be best that they behave. Bartholomews day, he has arranged a marriage license for bartholomew cokes, an esquire from harrow, and grace wellborn.
Bartholomew fair was under almost constant attack from city authorities during the 18th and 19th centuries for the immorality and drunkenness that was often witnessed there. The project gutenberg ebook of bartholomew fair, by ben jonson this ebook is. Why, what stuff are they made on, brother leatherhead. Apr 18, 2012 bartholomew cokes his companion, a gamester. Bartholomew fair the created comes into independent life as does the embedded analogue. Bartholomew fair plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and.
Analysis and discussion of characters in ben jonsons bartholomew fair. Rudolf ackermann, bartholomew fair, from microcosm of london 1808. He was probably a member of the original cast of bartholomew fair. Tis pity shes a whore, 2010 the cardinal, musical director. Repeated the next day at court for james i see induction ll.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. When lantern leatherhead shows cokes the puppets as the actors, cokes asks about his burbage, meaning the best actor. Theatre in the park, bracknell arts centre, in the grounds of south hill park, bracknell, berks. Richard katz will play doctor caius and pistol in the merry wives of windsor and leatherhead in bartholomew fair. Bartholomew fair is the climactic play of ben jonsons great comic period. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of bartholomew fair by ben jonson. After their return to town, this gentleman took moll to a house and made love to her. Bartholomew fair was as popular as catiline had been unpopular.
Led by lant leatherhead, the hobbihorse seller, the show is soon interrupted. Full synopsis available, click here go to notes of interest go to some suggested comparisons. Richards additional globe credits include nell gwynn, richard ii and a midsummer nights dream. Busy rushes on and attempts to stop the performance, but is persuaded to be. When bartholomew fair, londons largest public festival, is threat. Search rsc performances bar199902 bartholomew fair. Editor alexander leggatt is professor of english at.
Like a comedy, it ends happily but also carefully makes fun of certain individuals, groups, behaviors, or ideas. John littlewit enters and tells the audience that today, st. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading bartholomew fair. Bartholomew fair 31 october 1614 originally presented at the hope theatre. Thomas rowlandsons droll but gross pictures of the shows, in 1799, show those sickening boatswings and crowds of rough and boisterous sightseers. The introduction by colin counsell to bartholomew fair was quite good. Morley, with all the gravity of a historian, about the middle of the last century, and beef sausages then became the fashion. When she recovered, moll went to the bartholomew fair. The sprawling bartholomew fair is an enormous play, a cast of seemingly thousands jostling shoulders in one of londons most notorious fairs. Plot and cast of bartholomew fair news the harvard crimson. In daniel defoes moll flanders 1722 the heroine meets a welldressed gentleman at the fair. In wordsworths the prelude 1805 mention is made of the din and the indians and dwarfs at the fair. The play bartholomew fair by ben jonson is a broad, loosely plotted comedy, set mainly in the fun, riotous backdrop of the fair itself as it revolves around the various pursuits of. Using the fair as a symbolic representation of religious, social, and political conflicts in jacobean england, jonson satirizes puritans, fortune hunters, country bumpkins, and inept representatives of the justice system, along with sharpsters and con men who inhabit the fair.
A charter for the fair was granted to rahere by henry i to fund the priory of st bartholomew. It may have been shut down by the authorities nearly 200 years ago, but this summer were reopening the doors to the most notorious fair in town. The salacious theatre productions on show were of particular concern to moral reformers, as was the ability of the fair to keep the working population from their daily. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Potter, old comedy in bartholomew fair, criticism 10. Read more pro members only join the stageagent community to read our character analysis for lantern leatherhead and unlock other amazing theatre resources. Jonson had not forgotten the acrimonious reception for his most recent play, a tragedy titled catiline, and he had no intention of having this play suffer likewise. Alan howard bartholomew cokes, peter harlowe blind man, richard jones barry book holder, ted valentine bristle, bruce myers captain whit, david papworth child, stephen papworth child, paul swift child, peter cochran cole, david sadgrove cole, david stern corncutter, john york costermonger, peter cochran cripple, hugh keays byrne cupid, david forbes cupid. The drama classics series published by nick hern books of london provide affordable, tightly bound, small paperback editions of plays for students, actors, and theatregoers. The bartholomew fair was one of londons preeminent summer charter fairs. Bartholomew s is in the charter granted to rahere in 13.
On this day, monday the 5th, the fair was resumed, when the editor of the everyday book accurately surveyed it throughout. Ben jonsons experimental and controversial jacobean comedy takes place at bartholomew faira popular retreat for londoners that opened annually for four days each summer from the 12th to the 19th century. As we snuff out the candles, open the windows, and let in the replicated daylight, prepare yourselves for a radical reimagining of our sam wanamaker playhouse as ben johnsons kaleidoscopic bartholomew fair brings the sights and smells of modern. Smithfield and bartholomew fair british history online. In the process he indulges in a great deal of wordplay, especially after his wife win enters. Utf8 start of this project gutenberg ebook bartholomew fair produced by paul haxo with special thanks to the internet archive, the university of california, and christopher webber. Cokes is an esquire of harrow a neighborhood in greater london and the fiance of grace wellborn.