Academic drama


Academic drama refers to a theatrical movement that emerged in the mid 16th century during the Renaissance. Dedicated to the study of classical dramas for the purpose of higher education, universities in England began to produce the plays of Sophocles, Euripides, and Seneca the Younger in the Greek and Roman languages, as well as neoclassical dramas. These classical and neoclassical productions were performed by young scholars at universities in Cambridge and Oxford. Other European countries, such as Spain and Italy adapted classical plays into a mixture of Latin and vernacular dramas. These Spanish and Italian adaptations were used in teaching morals in schools and colleges. The intellectual development of dramas in schools, universities, and Inns of Court in Europe allowed the emergence of the great playwrights of the late 16th century.

Academic drama at Oxford University

The history of academic drama at Oxford University may be traced back to the mid 16th century. While there are records indicating dramatic performances were performed prior, dramatic production greatly increased in the 16th century. Academic dramas were performed in Christ Church and St. John's College at Oxford. The plays produced at Oxford were originally written in Latin, based on classical models. Used to teach playwriting and acting, these plays were written by both the students and instructors. In performance, audiences typically consisted of fellow students, though visits from royalty occasionally occurred. Among these royals were Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.
It is evident that academic drama at Oxford was highly regarded as a crucial part of the educational experience. The university covered all performance expenses. Additionally, no entrance fees were charged.

Academic drama at Cambridge University

In producing academic drama, the colleges at Cambridge University were decidedly confined to performing Latin works. When Queen Elizabeth I sent requests to both Cambridge and Oxford requesting the performance of an English comedy, she was met with a decline from Cambridge. Cambridge replied they did not use plays in English. However, it must be noted that though Cambridge did not indulge the Queen with an English comedy, they were not opposed to neo-Latin comedies. The majority of surviving English neo-Latin university dramas were performed at Cambridge. Performances at Cambridge were in Latin and the material of choice was the classics. Folios found at St. John's at Cambridge show records of costumes housed for performances. It is believed these costumes were used in the acting of classical works by Aristophanes and Terence, as well as in morality plays.

Academic drama at the Inns of Court

The Inns of Court are referred to as the third university of England. Inns of Court were where practicing lawyers and law students gathered to eat, socialize, gain legal education, board, and be entertained. There were four of these Inns of Court: Gray's Inn, Inner Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Middle Temple. In contrast to Cambridge and Oxford, who produced theatre as a literary study, the London Inns of Court produced theatre as a means of entertainment. Beginning around 1587, the Inns of Court produced masques and revels, yet another contrast from the Oxford and Cambridge plays. Until the end of the 17th century, these performances typically took the form of masques written by law students at the Inns of Court. Once the Inns of Court transitioned from masques to plays, the so-called third university served as a cradle for classical English drama. Eventually, by the early 17th century, writers such as Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare began producing English comedies at the Inns of Court, thus expanding the range of materials performed. After 1614, the masques were written and designed by professionals; simultaneously the new emerging dramas were written and performed by professional theatre practitioners. Due to the close proximity to the English court, nobility frequently attended the performances at the Inns of Court.

Classical drama performed

Academic drama was formed as an educational tool, not only to advance the arts, but to teach classical literature and language. Key subject matter for performance were classical dramas of ancient Greece and Rome. Prominent playwrights whose works were performed as part of the academic drama tradition include Aristophanes, Plautus, Seneca the younger, and Terrence.
PlayPlaywrightDate PerformedLocation of PerformanceLanguage
PlutusAristophanes1536St. John's, CambridgeGreek
PaxAristophanes1546Trinity, CambridgeGreek
PoenulusPlautus1549Queens', CambridgeLatin
TroadesSeneca the younger1551-2Trinity, CambridgeLatin
MenaechmiPlautus1551-2Trinity, CambridgeLatin
StichusPlautus1544Queens', CambridgeLatin
a commediePlautus1557Trinity, CambridgeLatin
OedipusSeneca the younger1559–60Trinity, CambridgeLatin
MostellariaPlautus1559–60Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Hecuba Seneca the younger1559–60Trinity, CambridgeLatin
AmphitruoPlautus1560-1Trinity, CambridgeLatin
TroadesSeneca the younger1560-1Trinity, CambridgeLatin
MedeaSeneca the younger1560-1Trinity, CambridgeLatin
AdelphiTerence1562-3Jesus, CambridgeLatin
Curculio Plautus1562-3Jesus, CambridgeLatin
PseudolusPlautus1562-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
AdelphiTerence1562-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Phormio Terence1562-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
MedeaSeneca the younger1563Queens', CambridgeLatin
EunuchusTerence1563-4Jesus, CambridgeLatin
TrinummusPlautus1563-4Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Bacchides Plautus1563-4Trinity, CambridgeLatin
AululariaPlautus1563-4King's, CambridgeLatin
StichusPlautus1564-5Trinity, CambridgeLatin
MenaechmiPlautus1565-6Trinity, CambridgeLatin
EunuchusTerence1566-7Merton, OxfordLatin
MenaechmiPlautus1567-8Merton, OxfordLatin
Bacchides Plautus1579Jesus, CambridgeLatin
Persa Plautus1583St. John's, CambridgeLatin
HippolytusSeneca the younger 1591-2Christ Church, OxfordLatin

Neo-Latin/English drama performed

Neo-Latin or New Latin dramas as they may also be referred to, were plays written in Latin by students and professors at Oxford, Cambridge, and the Inns of Court. Subject matter ranged from religious, to satirical, to mythological. Eventually these original plays began to be written in English, preparing the way for the English drama of the Elizabethan Age.
PlayPlaywrightDate PerformedLocation of PerformanceLanguage
MicrocosmusT. Artour1520–32St. John's, CambridgeLatin
Mundas PlumbeusT. Artour1520–32St. John's, CambridgeLatin
Piscator siue Fraus IllusaJ. Hoker1535–43Magdalen, OxfordLatin
ThersitesAnon.1537Magdalen, OxfordEnglish
Christus RediuiuusNicholas Grimald1540Brasenose, OxfordLatin
Christus NascensNicholas Grimald1540-Merton or Christ Chrich, OxfordLatin
ProtomartyrNicholas Grimald1540-Merton or Christ Church, OxfordLatin
FamaNicholas Grimald1540-Merton or Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Athanasius siue infamiaNicholas Grimald1540-Merton or Christ Church, OxfordLatin
TroilusNicholas Grimald1540-Merton or Christ Church, OxfordEnglish
De puerorum in musicis institutioneNicholas Grimald1540-Merton or Christ Church, OxfordEnglish
AbsalonT. Watsonc. 1540St. John's, CambridgeLatin
dialogusR. Textor1543Queens', CambridgeLatin
PammachiusT. Kirchmayer1545Christ's, CambridgeLatin
ArchiprohetaNicholas Grimald1546-7Christ Church, OxfordLatin
HeliH. Ziegler1547-8Queens', CambridgeLatin
Grammer Gurtons Nedleundetermined1550–60Christ's, CambridgeEnglish
StryliusNicholas Robinson 1552-3Queens', CambridgeLatin
A lernyd tragedyAnon.1553-6New College, OxfordLatin
de crumena perditaAnon.1554-5Trinity, CambridgeLatin
both the English plaiesAnon.1559–60Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Sapientia SolomonisSixt Birck1559–60Trinity, CambridgeLatin
AcolastusWilhelm Gnapheus1560-1Trinity, CambridgeLatin
John babtisteGeorge Buchanan1562-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Christus TriumphansJ. Foxe1562-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
DidoE. Haliwell1564King's, CambridgeLatin
EzechiasNicholas Udall1564King's, CambridgeEnglish
A burlesque on the Romanist bishopsAnon.1564At Hinchinbrook, CambridgeEnglish
PhilaniraC. Roilletus1564-5Trinity, CambridgeLatin
AsotusMacropedius1565-6Trinity, CambridgeLatin
CrumenariaAnon.1565-6Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Marcus GeminusAnon.1566Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Palamon and Arcyte Parts 1 and 2Richard Edwardes1566Christ Church, OxfordLatin
ProgneJames Calfhill1566Christ Church, OxfordLatin
IephthesJ. Christopherson1566-7Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Wylie BeguylieAnon.1566-7Merton, OxfordEnglish
Damon and Pythias Richard Edwardes1567-8Merton, OxfordEnglish
The Destruction of ThebesAnon.1569Christ Church, OxfordLatin
HymenaeusAbraham Fraunce or H. Hickmanc. 1578-9St. John's, CambridgeLatin
VictoriaAbraham Fraunce1579–83St. John's, CambridgeLatin
Richardus TertiusThomas Legge1579–80St. John's, CambridgeLatin
The Destruction of JerusalemThomas Legge1580–98Caius, CambridgeLatin
PendantiusA. Wingfield1580-1Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Puer vapulansAnon.1581-2Jesus, CambridgeLatin
SupposesG. Gascoigne1581-2Trinity, OxfordEnglish
Caesar InterfectusR. Eedes1581-2Christ Church, OxfordLatin
MeleagerW. Gager1581-2Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Bellum GrammaticaleLeonard Huttenc. 1582Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Comedy satirizing the Mayor of CambridgeT. Mudde1582-3Pembroke, OxfordEnglish
RiualesW. Gager1583Christ Church, OxfordLatin
DidoW. Gager1583Christ Church, OxfordLatin
MeleagerW. Gager1584-5Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Tarrarantantara turba trigonum Tri-HarueyorumAnon.1585-6Clare Hall, CambridgeLatin
Duns furensAnon.1585-6Peterhouse, CambridgeLatin
Terminus et non terminusThomas Nashe and other studentc. 1586St. John's, CambridgeLatin
Octaviapseudo-Senecan1588Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Vlysses ReduxW. Gager1591-2Christ Church, OxfordLatin
Bellum GrammaticaleLeonard Hutten1592Christ Church, OxfordLatin
RoxanaW. Alabasterc. 1592Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Caesars ReuengeAnon.c. 1594Trinity, OxfordLatin
LaeliaAnon.1594-5Queens', CambridgeLatin
SiluanusAnon.1596-7St. John's, CambridgeLatin
HispanusAnon.1596-7St. John's, CambridgeLatin
MachiauellusAnon.1597St. John's, CambridgeLatin
The Pilgrimage to Parnassus Parnassus playsAnon.1598St. John's, CambridgeEnglish
LeanderW. Hawkesworth1598-9Trinity, CambridgeLatin
Club LawG. Ruggle1599–1600Clare Hall, CambridgeEnglish
The Return from Parnassus Part I Parnassus playsAnon.1601St. John's, CambridgeEnglish
The Return from Parnassus Part II Parnassus playsAnon.1602St. John's, CambridgeEnglish
NarcissusAnon.1602-3St. John's, OxfordEnglish
LeanderW. Hawkesworth1602-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
LabyrinthusW. Hawkesworth1602-3Trinity, CambridgeLatin
NeroM. Gwynne1602-3St. John's, OxfordLatin