nymphs' chamber (IV. i-v), and in or before the chamber of Asotus (III. v).[1] Poetaster is all at Rome, within and before the palace, the houses of Albius and Lupus, and the chamber of Ovid.[2] There is certainly no need for any shifting of scenes so far. Nor does Chapman demand it. Sir Giles Goosecap, except for one open-country scene, has only two houses, which are demonstrably contiguous and used together.[3] The Gentleman Usher has only two houses, supposed to be at a little distance from each other, and entailing a slight foreshortening, if they were placed at opposite ends of the stage.[4] All Fools adopts the Italian convention of action in an open city space before three houses.[5]
To the Jacobean repertory not less than nine writers contributed. Chapman still takes the lead with three more comedies and two tragedies of his own. In the comedies he tends somewhat to increase the number of his houses, although without any change of general locality. M. d'Olive has five houses.[6]
- ↑ The fountain requires a trap. There is no action above. I cite the scenes of Q_{1}, which are varied by Jonson in F_{1}.
- ↑ In the prol. 27, Envy says, 'The scene is, ha! Rome? Rome? and Rome?' (cf. p. 154). The only action above is by Julia in IV. ix. 1, before the palace, where (F_{1}) 'Shee appeareth above, as at her chamber window', and speaks thence.
- ↑ Sir G. G. has, besides the London and Barnet road (III. i), the houses of (a) Eugenia (I. i-iii; II; IV. i) and (b) Momford (I. iv; II; III. ii; IV. iii; V). Both have action within, none above. In IV. ii. 140 persons on the street are met by pages coming from Momford's 'on the other side', but (b) is near enough to (a) to enable Clarence in II to overhear from it (as directed in I. iv. 202) a talk between Momford and Eugenia, probably in her porch, where (ii. 17) 'Enter Wynnefred, Anabell, with their sowing workes and sing', and Momford passes over to Clarence at ii. 216. Two contiguous rooms in (b) are used for V. i, ii (a single scene). One is Clarence's; from the other he is overheard. They are probably both visible to the audience, and are divided by a curtain. At V. ii. 128 'He draws the curtains and sits within them'. Parrott adds other s.ds. for curtains at 191, 222, 275, which are not in Q_{1}.
- ↑ Gent. Usher has (a) Strozza's (I. i; IV. i, iii; V. ii), where only a porch or courtyard is needed, and (b) Lasso's (I. ii; II; III; IV. ii, iv; V. i, iii, iv), with a hall, overlooked by a balcony used in V. i. 1 and V. iii. 1, and called 'this tower' (V. iii. 5).
- ↑ The visible houses of All Fools are (a) Gostanzo's, (b) Cornelio's, and (c) the Half Moon tavern, where drawers set tables (V. ii. 1), but not necessarily inside. Both (a) and (b) are required in II. i and IV. i, and (a), (b), and (c) in III. i.
- ↑ M. d'Olive has (a) a hall at Court (II. ii); (b) Hieronyme's chamber, also at Court (V. ii); (c) d'Olive's chamber (III. ii; IV. ii); (d) Vaumont's (I; II. i; IV. i; V. i); (e) St. Anne's (III. i); of which (b) and (d) are used together in V. i, ii (a continuous scene), and probably (c) and (e) in III. i. There is action within at (a), (c), and (d), and above at (d), which has curtained windows lit by tapers (I. 48), at one of which a page above 'looks out with a light', followed by ladies who are bidden 'come down' (V. i. 26, 66).
