BURBAGE, Richard

(1567-1619)

The greatest actor of his time, Richard Burbage originated many famous roles of the English stage, including Hamlet, Oberon, Othello, Lear, Volpone, Fer­dinand in John Webster's* Duchess of Malfi, and Hieronimo in Thomas Kyd's* Spanish Tragedy. Born into a theatrical family, the son of James Burbage, a theatrical entrepreneur, and younger brother to Cuthbert, a business manager, young Richard began as a boy actor at the Theatre, the first open-air playhouse, built by his father in 1576. In 1594 Richard Burbage joined the Lord Cham­berlain's Men, later the King's Men. William Shakespeare* also joined the company around this time. With Richard Burbage as the star and Shakespeare's plays as the major property, the Lord Chamberlain's Men became a profitable, popular company and a powerful force. Unlike their rivals the Admiral's Men, who employed a manager, eight actors of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, includ­ing Burbage and Shakespeare, invested in and received profits from the com­pany.

When the Theatre's lease expired in April 1597, Burbage decided to build a playhouse on land across the Thames. Legend has it that on 28 December 1598, workmen dismantled the Theatre and floated the oak timber frames across the Thames to build the Globe, which was completed in 1599. In 1608 Burbage and his brother gained control of Blackfriars, an indoor theater. With this ac­quisition, for the first time, one company had command of two theaters, enabling the Lord Chamberlain's Men to work both summer and winter, day and night.

Burbage's skill as an actor was one of superb voice and stage presence. Unlike his rival, Edward Alleyn, a large, physical, melodramatic actor famous for play­ing Marlowe's* Dr. Faustus, Burbage had range. Women swooned over him; men imitated him in the streets. The nature of the Renaissance stage provided a place for his genuine intimacy with the players and familiarity with the au­dience. His acting was considered realistic and sophisticated, so realistic, in fact, that playing the death of Hamlet, Burbage was thought to be truly dying. Not wanting to move into a more administrative capacity, Burbage worked as an actor until his death in 1619.

Bibliography

A. Gurr, Playgoing in Shakespeare's London, 1987.

Megan S. Lloyd