There are chamber scenes in the King's plays also, which are neither in the alcove nor on the main stage, but above. This is an extension of a practice already observable in pre-Globe days. Hero's chamber in Much Ado about Nothing is above.[1] So is Celia's in Volpone.[2] So is Falstaff's at the Garter Inn in The Merry Wives of Windsor.[3] In all these examples, which are not exhaustive, a reasonable amount of space is required for action.[4] This is still more the case in The Yorkshire Tragedy, where the violent scene of the triple murder at Calverley Hall is clearly located upstairs.[5] Moreover, there are two plays which stage above what one would normally regard as hall rather than chamber scenes. One is Sejanus, where a break in the dialogue in the first act can best be explained by the interpretation of a scene in an upper 'gallery'.[6] The other is Every Man Out of his Humour, where the personages go 'up' to the great chamber at Court.[7] Elaborate use is also made of the upper level in Antony and
- [Footnote: 'The bed is drawne in, and enter the Clowne new wak't', followed by
'Enter Iupiter and Danae in her night-gowne'. He puts on his cloak, and 'Enter the foure Beldams in hast', say 'the gate is open', and dismiss the pedlars.]
- ↑ M. Ado, III. iv. Presumably the action is at the window, as there is a 'new tire within' (13) and Hero withdraws when guests arrive (95). It is of course the same window which is required by Don John's plot, although it is not again in action (cf. II. ii. 43; iii. 89; III. ii. 116, iii. 156; IV. i. 85, 311).
- ↑ Volpone, II. v-vii. In the piazza, under the same window, is II. i-iii, where 'Celia at the windo' throws downe her handkerchiefe' (1149).
- ↑ M. W. II. ii; III. v, in both of which persons 'below' are bidden 'come up'; possibly V. i; cf. IV. v, 13, 22, 131, where persons below speak of the chamber as above.
- ↑ E. M. O. V. iv-vi, at the Mitre; M. Devil of Edmonton, I. i; Miseries of Enforced Marriage, III. i; and for other theatres, Massacre at Paris (Fortune), 257 'Enter the Admirall in his bed', 301 'Enter into the Admirals house, and he in his bed', with 310 'Throw him downe'; Two Lamentable Tragedies (Fortune), parts of I. iii, 'Then being in the upper Rome Merry strickes him in the head fifteene times', II. i, iii; 1 If You Know Not Me (? Queen's), p. 240 (ed. Pearson), 'Enter Elizabeth, Gage, and Clarencia aboue'. Elizabeth bids Gage 'Looke to the pathway that doth come from the court', perhaps from a window at the back (cf. p. 96), and he describes a coming horseman.
- ↑ Yorkshire Tragedy, scc. iii, v, vii, while the intermediate episodes, scc. iv, vi, are below. It is all really one scene.
- ↑ Sejanus (F_{1}), i. 355-469 (cf. 287), an episode breaking the flow of the main action, a hall scene, of the act; it must be apart from the hall, not perhaps necessarily above.
- ↑ E. M. O. V. ii, preceded and followed by scene near the court gate at the foot of stairs leading to the great chamber; V. i has 'Is this the way? good truth here be fine hangings' and 'courtiers drop out', presumably through the arras and up the stairs. Then a presenter says, 'Here they come', and the courtiers enter, presumably above.
