The Play
The play was most likely written to be acted by Lord Strange's Men, the only company of the time that could have mounted such a large and demanding production, at Philip Henslowe's Rose Theatre, which possessed the special staging requirements (large-capacity second-level platform and special enclosure) called for by the play. The massive lead role of More, 800-plus lines, was designed for Edward Alleyn, the only actor up to that time who is known to have played such large-scale roles. After the re-organization of the playing companies in 1594, the manuscript may well have passed into the possession of the Admiral's Men.
Read more about this topic: Sir Thomas More (play)
Famous quotes containing the word play:
“If you like to make things out of wood, or sew, or dance, or style peoples hair, or dream up stories and act them out, or play the trumpet, or jump rope, or whatever you really love to do, and you love that in front of your children, thats going to be a far more important gift than anything you could ever give them wrapped up in a box with ribbons.”
—Fred M. Rogers (20th century)
“A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But thats all one, our play is done,
And well strive to please you every day.”
—William Shakespeare (15641616)