The King's Revels Men or King's Revels Company was a

playing company Play is a range of intrinsically motivated activities done for recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but may be engaged in at any life stage, and among other higher-functio ...

or troupe of actors in seventeenth-century England. In the confusing theatre nomenclature of that era, it is sometimes called the ''second'' King's Revels Company, to distinguish it from an earlier troupe with the same title that was active in the 1607-9 period. Since the earlier group was a company of boy actors, they are alternatively referred to as the

King's Revels Children The King's Revels Children or Children of the King's Revels were a troupe of actors, or playing company, in Jacobean era London, active in the 1607-9 period. They were part of a fashion for child actors that peaked in the first decade of the seve ...

, while the later troupe is termed the King's Revels Men. The King's Revels Men received a royal charter on 27 February 1615. They spent their early years touring the cities and towns outside

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, though they later took up residence in the city. By the second quarter of the century they were acting at the

Fortune Theatre The Fortune Theatre is a 432-seat West End theatre on Russell Street, near Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster. Since 1989 the theatre has hosted the long running play ''The Woman in Black''. History The site was acquired by author, playw ...

and at the

Salisbury Court Theatre The Salisbury Court Theatre was a theatre in 17th-century London. It was in the neighbourhood of Salisbury Court, which was formerly the London residence of the Bishops of Salisbury. Salisbury Court was acquired by Richard Sackville in 1564 du ...

(the latter in 1630–31 and 1633–36). They played Thomas Randolph's ''The Muses' Looking-Glass'' in the summer of

1630 Events January–March * January 2 – A shoemaker in Turin is found to have the first case of bubonic plague there as the plague of 1630 begins spreading through Italy. * January 5 – A team of Portuguese military advisers ...

, and

James Shirley James Shirley (or Sherley) (September 1596 – October 1666) was an English dramatist. He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Charles Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so m ...

's ''

Love in a Maze ''The Changes, or Love in a Maze'' is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy of manners written by James Shirley, first published in 1639. It was one of Shirley's most popular comedies, especially in the Restoration era. The play (which involves a ...

'' in

1632 Events January–March * January – The Holland's Leguer, a brothel in London, is closed after having been besieged for a month. * February 22 – Galileo's ''Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems'' is pub ...

– one of the few Shirley plays that was not acted by the rival

Queen Henrietta's Men Queen Henrietta's Men was an important playing company or troupe of actors in Caroline era in London. At their peak of popularity, Queen Henrietta's Men were the second leading troupe of the day, after only the King's Men. Beginnings The company ...

. In

1635 Events January–March * January 23 – 1635 Capture of Tortuga: The Spanish Navy captures the Caribbean island of Tortuga off of the coast of Haiti after a three-day battle against the English and French Navy. * January 25 ...

they had a major success with

Richard Brome Richard Brome ; (c. 1590? – 24 September 1652) was an English dramatist of the Caroline era. Life Virtually nothing is known about Brome's private life. Repeated allusions in contemporary works, like Ben Jonson's ''Bartholomew Fair'', ind ...

's play ''

The Sparagus Garden ''The Sparagus Garden'' is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy by Richard Brome. It was the greatest success of Brome's career, and one of the major theatrical hits of its period. Performance and publication ''The Sparagus Garden'' was acted b ...

'', which reportedly earned £1000 at the box office. Other plays in the company's repertory included Brome's ''

The Queen and Concubine ''The Queen and Concubine'' is a Caroline era stage play, a tragicomedy written by Richard Brome and first published in 1659. It has sometimes been called Brome's best tragicomedy. Publication and date The play was first printed when it was in ...

'', Randolph's ''Amyntas'',

Thomas Rawlins Thomas Rawlins (1620?–1670) was an English medallist and playwright. Life Born about 1620, Rawlins appears to have received instruction as a goldsmith and gem engraver, and to have worked under Nicholas Briot at the Royal Mint. Rawlins's fi ...

's ''The Rebellion'', Nathanael Richards's ''Messalina'',

William Heminges William Heminges (1602 – c. 1653?), also Hemminges, Heminge, and other variants, was a playwright and theatrical figure of the Caroline period. He was the ninth child and third son of John Heminges, the actor and colleague of William Shakespear ...

's ''The Madcap'', and

Henry Glapthorne Henry Glapthorne (baptised, 28 July 1610 – c. 1643) was an English dramatist and poet, baptized in Cambridgeshire, the son of Thomas Glapthorne and Faith ''née'' Hatcliff. His father was a bailiff of Lady Hatton, the wife of Sir Edward Cok ...

's '' The Lady Mother''. The company's personnel included Curtis Greville, William Hall, William Hart,

Thomas Loveday Thomas Loveday (by 1513 – 28 August 1558) was an English politician. He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Gloucester in October 1553 and April 1554. He was Mayor of Gloucester In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ran ...

, and the two William Cartwrights, father and son; Edward Gibbes, Christopher Goad, John Robinson, and William Wilbraham.Nunzeger, pp. 86-7, 154, 171, 177, and ff.

Timothy Read Timothy Read ( fl. 1626–1647) was a comic actor of the Caroline era, and one of the most famous and popular performers of his generation. Biography As with many other performers of his historical era, nothing is known of Read's early life. ...

was famous as their chief clown and comedian. During the long closure of the London theatres from May 1636 to October 1637, due to an outbreak of

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...

, the King's Revels Men was the group most severely affected: it broke up completely. Some of its members, like Read, passed on to

Notes

Sources

* Gurr, Andrew. ''The Shakespearean Stage 1574–1642.'' Third edition, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1992. * Nunzeger, Edwin. ''A Dictionary of Actors and of Others Associated with the Representation of Plays in England Before 1642''. New Haven, Yale University Press, 1929. * Thomson, Peter, Jane Milling, and Joseph W. Donohue, eds. ''The Cambridge History of British Theatre.'' 3 Volumes, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2005. English early modern theatre companies {{theat-stub