Richard Burbage

1567 (age 52)

Stratford-on-Avon, London, England, United Kingdom

Among Burbage's first known roles was that of King Gorboduc in The Seven Deadliest Sins by Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville, two young nobles, around 1590, which is considered English drama's first genuine tragedy. Shakespeare arrived on the London theater scene about 1592, and began writing plays that were performed by Lord Chamberlain's Men the following year; he also acted with the troupe. He was listed as a joint-payee of Lord Chamberlain's Men by 1595. In 1597, after the death of his father, Burbage and his brother Cuthbert inherited the Theatre in Shoreditch, but the landlord of the site was a Puritan, and tried to raise the rent exorbitantly to shut the venue down. The venue would stage the first performances of many of Shakespeare's plays. It is known that Burbage played the title role in one of the earliest, Richard III, in which he uttered the famous opening line: "Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this sun of York. " Burbage went on to appear as Berowne in the more lighthearted Love's Labour's Lost, which is also thought by scholars to be the first that Shakespeare wrote with him in mind. The first years of the seventeenth century became known as the Jacobean period of English drama, after the accession of a new English monarch to the throne, James I, in 1603. By this point both were well-known figures in London, and the Globe proved a profitable enterprise for them. Portrayed Increasingly Complex Characters In his day Burbage was deemed a skilled orator, which likely meant that he possessed an excellent memory for lines, as well as clear enunciation and believable gestures. He probably moved about on the stage as he spoke his lines, which was considered unusual at the time. "As Shakespeare and Burbage matured, the roles offered to the actor grew more contemplative in character. Burbage appeared in the title roles of Shakespeare's great tragedies, Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello. With his wealth of experience on the stage that dated back to his youth, Burbage was ideally suited to the nuances of such parts. "Without him, Shakespeare would most likely have had less opportunity to develop his talents, " asserted the International Dictionary of Theatre of the actor, "and it is at least arguable that creating parts to suit Burbage's particular characteristics and temperament inspired him to explore more complex dramatic characters than might otherwise have been the case. " Opened Second Profitable Venue In 1608 Burbage, Shakespeare, and some other partners opened the Blackfriars Theatre, between Ludgate Hill and the Thames, as a new home for the King's Men when not performing at Court. When Burbage and his partners took it over, they added a solid roof to it so that it could serve as an all-season venue, which was another London theater first. The Globe, meanwhile, caught fire during a performance of Henry VIII one night in 1613 when a cannon shot to mark the king's entrance misfired. Burbage barely escaped alive, but rebuilt the theater the next year. They include Angelo in Measure for Measure, Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Prospero in The Tempest, and the title roles of Coriolanus, Macbeth, and Timon of Athens. He also acted in the plays of other leading dramatists of the era as well, including John Webster and Ben Jonson. He appeared in the latter's Every Man in his Humour in 1598 and Every Man out of his Humour the following year. For certain he appeared in Jonson's works Sejanus His Fall in 1603, Volpone in 1605, The Alchemist in 1610, and Catiline His Conspiracy in 1611. He is buried in the parish cemetery of St. Leonard's, the landmark Shoreditch church that dates back to the twelfth century. His Globe theater closed in 1642 during a renewal of Puritan religious fervor in England, and was torn down two years later. The Blackfriars theater also closed during this period, and was demolished in 1655. London's "Playhouse Yard" commemorates the latter theater's site.

Richard Burbage

Edit Profile

Actor

Background

Son of James Burbage, was born in Stratford-on-Avon, London, England, United Kingdom in 1567.

Education

Besides Cuthbert Burbage and their sister, Alice, the other partners in the venture were Shakespeare and Kemp. Burbage's father had leased part of an old Dominican friary (hence the term "black" friar because of the dark cloak its members wore) to stage plays back in 1596, but since the building was still within the boundaries of London proper and the neighbors objected as well, he instead leased it for performances of a children's theater company.

Career

Among Burbage's first known roles was that of King Gorboduc in The Seven Deadliest Sins by Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville, two young nobles, around 1590, which is considered English drama's first genuine tragedy.

Shakespeare arrived on the London theater scene about 1592, and began writing plays that were performed by Lord Chamberlain's Men the following year; he also acted with the troupe.

He was listed as a joint-payee of Lord Chamberlain's Men by 1595.

In 1597, after the death of his father, Burbage and his brother Cuthbert inherited the Theatre in Shoreditch, but the landlord of the site was a Puritan, and tried to raise the rent exorbitantly to shut the venue down.

The venue would stage the first performances of many of Shakespeare's plays.

It is known that Burbage played the title role in one of the earliest, Richard III, in which he uttered the famous opening line: "Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this sun of York. "

Burbage went on to appear as Berowne in the more lighthearted Love's Labour's Lost, which is also thought by scholars to be the first that Shakespeare wrote with him in mind.

The first years of the seventeenth century became known as the Jacobean period of English drama, after the accession of a new English monarch to the throne, James I, in 1603.

By this point both were well-known figures in London, and the Globe proved a profitable enterprise for them.

Portrayed Increasingly Complex Characters

In his day Burbage was deemed a skilled orator, which likely meant that he possessed an excellent memory for lines, as well as clear enunciation and believable gestures.

He probably moved about on the stage as he spoke his lines, which was considered unusual at the time.

"As Shakespeare and Burbage matured, the roles offered to the actor grew more contemplative in character.

Burbage appeared in the title roles of Shakespeare's great tragedies, Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello.

With his wealth of experience on the stage that dated back to his youth, Burbage was ideally suited to the nuances of such parts.

"Without him, Shakespeare would most likely have had less opportunity to develop his talents, " asserted the International Dictionary of Theatre of the actor, "and it is at least arguable that creating parts to suit Burbage's particular characteristics and temperament inspired him to explore more complex dramatic characters than might otherwise have been the case. "

Opened Second Profitable Venue

In 1608 Burbage, Shakespeare, and some other partners opened the Blackfriars Theatre, between Ludgate Hill and the Thames, as a new home for the King's Men when not performing at Court.

When Burbage and his partners took it over, they added a solid roof to it so that it could serve as an all-season venue, which was another London theater first.

The Globe, meanwhile, caught fire during a performance of Henry VIII one night in 1613 when a cannon shot to mark the king's entrance misfired.

Burbage barely escaped alive, but rebuilt the theater the next year.

They include Angelo in Measure for Measure, Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Prospero in The Tempest, and the title roles of Coriolanus, Macbeth, and Timon of Athens.

He also acted in the plays of other leading dramatists of the era as well, including John Webster and Ben Jonson.

He appeared in the latter's Every Man in his Humour in 1598 and Every Man out of his Humour the following year.

For certain he appeared in Jonson's works Sejanus His Fall in 1603, Volpone in 1605, The Alchemist in 1610, and Catiline His Conspiracy in 1611.

He is buried in the parish cemetery of St. Leonard's, the landmark Shoreditch church that dates back to the twelfth century.

His Globe theater closed in 1642 during a renewal of Puritan religious fervor in England, and was torn down two years later.

The Blackfriars theater also closed during this period, and was demolished in 1655.

London's "Playhouse Yard" commemorates the latter theater's site.

Achievements

He is one of the most famous actors of the Globe Theatre of his time. In addition to being a stage actor he was also a theatre owner, entrepreneur and painter.

He was the younger brother of Cuthbert Burbage. They were both actors in drama. Burbage was a business associate and friend to William Shakespeare.

Religion

"He has to be, in succession, the shrewd, dry commentator on other men's ideas, the smart society conversationalist, the serious, self-confessed, self-criticising, reluctantly self-tormenting lover, and finally the champion of love.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

"It is a part well suited to the versatility that we know to have been Burbage's particular characteristic, " declared Martin Holmes in his Shakespeare and Burbage.

"Without him, Shakespeare would most likely have had less opportunity to develop his talents, " asserted the International Dictionary of Theatre of the actor, "and it is at least arguable that creating parts to suit Burbage's particular characteristics and temperament inspired him to explore more complex dramatic characters than might otherwise have been the case. "

Interests

Music & Bands

"Burbage's voice, it would seem, was not a trumpet like Alleyn's, " noted Holmes, "but had more the quality of a stringed instrument, and Shakespeare wrote for it with consideration and full understanding of its potentialities.

Connections

He appeared as Ferdinand in Webster's The Duchess of Malfi in 1616, and may have acted in The White Devil, another work from Webster's pen.

Burbage lived in the same Holywell Street of his childhood, and is thought to have married his wife, Winifred, around 1601.

Father:: James Burbage
Sister:: Alice Burbage
rival:: Edward Alleyn
Wife:: Winifred

Main Photo

Richard Burbage

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Richard Burbage

Background

Education

Career

Achievements

Religion

Personality

Interests

Music & Bands

Connections

References

Born

Died

Nationality

Official Titles