Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England episode 344.

The New Play Houses. Now that everyone, to Shagra of many, I tend to see the end of a

rain as an opportunity to pause. Look up a bit. Look around. Smell the roses, as it were.

Often this has been an excuse to delve into the arcane mysteries of social and economic

history, the glories of the poor law, the foreign country of early modern religion and

sexual morais, economy, the monarchical republic of the parish. That's the thing.

This time however, I have decided to wander into territory that is spread with personal

thorns and which I approach in fear, terror and deep, deep misgivings I speak, ladies and

gentlemen, of culture. A genre with which I have no more than a nodding acquaintance,

unless motored can be said to be culture, which I guess they are in a way.

But more specifically, I am going to venture into an area in which I have spectacularly

little expertise, renaissance, English theatre. So I must start with an apology. I know that

many people love Shakespeare and Marlowe and all that with a passion. That there are

reans written on the subject and the world around it. So I am probably going to annoy you

with enanities, errors, emissions and all that. And if so, I am sorry. Anyway, that's what's

going to happen. And not only that, it's going to take not one, not two, but yes, three

episodes get it all done. I am so sorry. Words can't express my regret. And I am seeking

help with my behaviour. Also, before I go ahead, I ought to issue a trigger warning to episodes

after the new tradition. So might I please warn you that there is a scourulous joke about

Saint Peter in what follows? Right. So as regards English, renaissance theatre, I have seen

the words golden age used. Hmm. What are we talking about with all this golden age,

malachy then? Well, some when, early in Elizabeth's reign, to somewhere towards the middle

...