A Companion to Henslowe’s Diary

A Companion to Henslowe’s Diary by Neil Carson, published by Cambridge University Press on January 5, 2004, offers a detailed examination of the Elizabethan repertory theatre through the lens of Philip Henslowe’s diary. Spanning 164 pages, this edition presents a thorough analysis of Henslowe’s financial records from 1592 to 1604, providing insights into the daily operations of theatrical companies and the relationships among actors and playwrights.
Readers will find that Carson’s work breaks down Henslowe’s complex entries into clear tabular forms, illuminating the management procedures of the time. The book challenges previous interpretations of Henslowe as a disorganized figure, instead portraying him as an efficient businessman with a nuanced understanding of the theatrical landscape. This edition contributes to the fields of drama, literary criticism, and the history of performing arts, making it a valuable resource for those interested in the intricacies of early modern theatre.
Official synopsis Publisher
Henslowe’s ‘diary’ is a unique source of information about the day-to-day running of the Elizabethan repertory theatre. Philip Henslowe, a theatrical entrepreneur, kept records of his financial dealings with London companies and actors from 1592-1604. The diary itself is difficult to decipher. Neil Carson’s analysis is based on a much more thorough correlation of Henslowe’s entries than has been attempted before, breaking down into clear tabular form the main items of income and expenditure and drawing conclusions about the management procedures of the companies, the professional relationships of actors and playwrights and the ways in which plays were written, rehearsed and programmed. Previous speculation has dismissed Henslowe himself as ignorant, disorderly and grasping. Carson shows him to have been a benign and efficient businessman whose control over the actors’ professional activities was much less extensive than has often been supposed.
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