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The Lord Chamberlains Men (or Kings Men)
The Lord Chamberlain's Men, also called the Chamberlain's Men, were a theatrical playing company with which William Shakespeare was associated for most of his professional life. It was the most popular company of players in Elizabethan and Jacobean England.
The history of this company is difficult to trace as it was an amalgamation of several smaller companies. A company known as Hunsdon's Men is traceable to 1564-67. Their patron, Henry Carey, the first Lord Hunsdon, took office as Lord Chamberlain in 1585 and another company soon came under his patronage about five years later. In 1592 theatres closed because of the plague. When they reopened two years later a good deal of reorganisation had taken place between the various companies, and a central Lord Chamberlain's company emerged.
The Lord Chamberlain died in 1596. For a short while the group was renamed Hunsdon's Men after their new patron George Carey, 2nd Lord Hunsdon. When he took office himself in 1597 the company was once again known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men. Upon the accession of James I in March 1603, the company was taken under royal patronage and henceforth known as the King's Men.
The Chamberlain's Men were undoubtedly the most favoured company within the royal court. Their only rivals were The Admiral's Men led by one of England's finest actors Edward Alleyn. The Chamberlain's Men played continuously in London from 1594-1603, taking only a short break in the autumn of 1597 to travel on a provincial tour. From 1603 onwards the company regularly toured each year.
From 1594 the Lord Chamberlain's Men had many homes. They used a theatre in Newington Butts (just south of London Bridge), and also played at the Cross Keys Inn within the City of London. Later they probably performed at the Theatre before being rehoused in 1599 to their most famous home, the Globe.
Shakespeare was the company's principle dramatist, but works by Ben Jonson, Thomas Dekker, and the partnership of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher were also presented.
In around 1608 the Blackfriars Theatre became the winter headquarters of the King's Men.
The company ceased to exist when, at the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the theatres were closed and remained so until the Restoration eighteen years later.
Admirals Men
The Admiral's Men were an acting company of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. They were known originally as the Lord Howard's Men, named after their first patron Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham. Lord Howard became England's Lord High Admiral in 1585 and from this point the company changed their name to the Admiral's Men.
The principal actor of the Admiral's Men was Edward Alleyn, known as one of the finest actors of his age. Philip Henslowe was the company's manager.
The Admiral's Men are noted chiefly for their close alliance with the playwright Christopher Marlowe. They premiered and performed several of Marlowe's plays, including Doctor Faustus and Tamburaine the Great.
At their zenith the Admiral's Men were considered to be the greatest Elizabethan playing company. However, the retirement of Edward Alleyn coincided with the rise in popularity of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, leading to a decline in the company's fortunes. The Admiral's Men finally disbanded in 1631.
Queen Annes Men
Queen Anne's Men (also known as the Queen's Men), were formed on the accession of James I in 1603. The group's manager was Christopher Beeston, and the playwright Thomas Heywood, wrote exclusively for this company.
Queen Anne's Men performed originally at the Curtain but left in 1606 for the Red Bull where they stayed until 1616. The company then moved to the Cockpit, but disbanded soon after the death of Queen Anne in 1619.
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