well enough into Serlio's stately façade of palaces, and the comedies into his more homely group of bourgeois houses, with its open shop, its 'temple', and its discreet abode of a ruffiana.[1]
As courtly, beyond doubt, we must treat the main outlook of the choir companies during their long hegemony of the Elizabethan drama, which ended with the putting down of Paul's in 1590. Unfortunately it is not until the last decade of this period, with the 'court comedies' of Lyly, that we have any substantial body of their work, differentiated from the interludes and the Italianate comedies, to go upon. The Damon and Pythias of Richard Edwardes has a simple setting before the gates of a court. Lyly's own methods require rather careful analysis.[2] The locality of Campaspe is throughout at Athens, in 'the market-place' (III. ii. 56).[3] On this there are three domus: Alexander's palace, probably represented by a portico in which he receives visitors, and from which inmates 'draw in' (IV. iii. 32) to get off the stage; a tub 'turned towardes the sun' (I. iii. 12) for Diogenes over which he can 'pry' (V. iii. 21) ; a shop for Apelles, which has a window (III. i. 18), outside which a page is posted, and open enough for Apelles to carry on dialogue with Campaspe (III. iii.; IV. iv), while he paints her within. These three domus are quite certainly all visible together, as continuous action can pass from one to another. At one point (I. iii. 110) the philosophers walk direct from the palace to the tub; at another (III. iv. 44, 57) Alexander, going to the shop, passes the tub on the way; at a third (V. iv. 82) Apelles, standing at the tub, is bidden 'looke about you, your shop is on fire!'
- [Footnote: in Promos and Cassandra, of approach to the palace (Boas, 28, 35).
Christopherson's Jephthah, Watson's (?) Absalon, and Gager's Meleager (1582) observe classical unity. The latter has two houses, in one of which an altar may have been 'discovered'. Boas, 170, quotes two s.ds., 'Transeunt venatores e Regia ad fanum Dianae' and 'Accendit ligna in ara, in remotiore scenae parte extructa'. Gager's later plays (Boas, 179) seem to be under the influence of theatrical staging. On Legge's Richardus Tertius vide p. 43, infra.]
- ↑ I do not suggest that the actual 'templum' in Serlio's design, which is painted on the backcloth, was practicable. The ruffiana's house was. About the shop or tavern, half-way up the rake of the stage, I am not sure. There is an echo of the ruffiana, quite late, in London Prodigal (1605), V. i. 44, 'Enter Ruffyn'.
- ↑ The early editions have few s.ds. Mr. Bond supplies many, which are based on a profound misunderstanding of Lyly's methods of staging, to some of the features of which Reynolds in M. P. i. 581, ii. 69, and Lawrence, i. 237, have called attention.
- ↑ Possibly I. i might be an approach scene outside the city, as prisoners are sent (76) 'into the citie', but this may only mean to the interior of the city from the market-place.
