Women on the Renaissance stage: Anna of Denmark and female masquing in the Stuart court 1590–1619 - Softcover

McManus, Clare

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0719062500 ISBN 13: 9780719062506

Publisher: Manchester University Press, 2002

Synopsis

'Women on the Renaissance stage' provides a unique reassessment of women's relationship to performance in Early Modern England. A study of women's participation in the Jacobean court masque, it gives detailed, historicised and interdisciplinary readings of the performances of Anna of Denmark (wife of James VI and I) in the Scottish and English Jacobean courts. Clare McManus investigates the staging conditions, practices and gendering of Anna's performances, from the ceremonies and festivities of the Scottish court to the English court masques of Jonson, Daniel, Campion and others. Current critical theorisations of race, class, gender, space and performance are brought to bear on the female courtly body in dance, staging, scenery, costume and make-up within what might be thought of as a feminine court. In doing this, McManus establishes a tradition of seventeenth-century female performance which provides a trajectory for the emergence of the professional female actors of the Restoration. This groundbreaking study of a hitherto neglected performance tradition will expand the understanding of gender and performance for scholars and students of Early Modern culture.

About this title

About the Author

Clare McManus is Professor of Early Modern Literature and Theatre at the University of Roehampton

From the Back Cover

Women on the Renaissance stage provides a unique reassessment of women's relationship to performance in early modern England. A study of women's participation in the Jacobean court masque, it gives detailed historicised and interdisciplinary readings of the performances of Anna of Denmark (wife of James VI and I) in the Scottish and English Jacobean courts.

Clare McManus investigates the staging conditions, practices and gendering of Anna's performances, from the ceremonies and festivities of the Scottish court to the English court masques of Jonson, Daniel, Campion and others. Current critical theorisations of race, class, gender, space and performance are brought to bear on the courtly woman's body in dance, staging, scenery, costume and make-up within what might be thought of as female court. In doing this, McManus establishes a tradition of seventeenth-century female performance which provides a trajectory for the emergence of the professional female actors of the Restoration.

This innovative study of a hitherto neglected performance tradition will expand the understanding of gender and performance for scholars and students of early modern culture.

From the Inside Flap

Women on the Renaissance stage provides a unique reassessment of women s relationship to performance in early modern England. A study of women s participation in the Jacobean court masque, it gives detailed historicised and interdisciplinary readings of the performances of Anna of Denmark (wife of James VI and I) in the Scottish and English Jacobean courts.Clare McManus investigates the staging conditions, practices and gendering of Anna s performances, from the ceremonies and festivities of the Scottish court to the English court masques of Jonson, Daniel, Campion and others. Current critical theorisations of race, class, gender, space and performance are brought to bear on the courtly woman s body in dance, staging, scenery, costume and make-up within what might be thought of as female court. In doing this, McManus establishes a tradition of seventeenth-century female performance which provides a trajectory for the emergence of the professional female actors of the Restoration.This innovative study of a hitherto neglected performance tradition will expand the understanding of gender and performance for scholars and students of early modern culture.

Edition details

• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0719062500
• ISBN 13: 9780719062506
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288