3 April, 1594 - The Jew of Malta

Here's what the Earl of Sussex's Men and the Queen's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: R at the Jew of malta the 3 of ap^rell 1593 ... iij^ll

In modern English: Received at The Jew of Malta, 3^rd April, 1594 ... £3

Caravaggio's portrait of the Grand

Master of the Knights of Malta,

1607-8.

Today, Sussex's Men and the Queen's Men revived The Jew of Malta, a satirical comic tragedy by Christopher Marlowe. You can read more about this play in the blog entry for 26th February 1592.

The Jew of Malta was one of the most reliably popular plays at the Rose, and continued to be performed there despite the changing personnel at that theatre. It is possible that Edward Alleyn - the star actor who had made the central character of Barabas one of his most famous roles - was still performing at the Rose at this time, but we do not know for certain. 

As one might expect, the play drew a huge crowd: its box office indicates an almost full theatre on this day during the festive Easter Week.  

Henslowe links

• Transcript of this page of the Diary (from W.W. Greg's 1904 edition)
• Facsimile of this page of the Diary (from the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project)

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