Entertainment at Richmond Palace

This is part of a local history note on Queen Elizabeth I and Richmond. Start of this local history note.

On 9^th June 1564 the queen entertained the French ambassadors at Richmond with 3 masques and a martial display which involved "a Castle for Ladies and an arbour for Lords and three heralds and four trumpeters to bring in the device with the men of arms." The whole show cost £87 9s 6d. The ambassadors were also treated to a show of the hunting and killing of 3 stags on Richmond Green.

A new Spanish ambassador came to Richmond by river on 22^nd June and 2 weeks later, he had another audience with the queen when a masque and a comedy were performed for him, the latter the first known record of a play being presented at Richmond.

Records exist for the years 1575 to 1603 to show what kind of entertainment took place at Richmond and the expenses incurred. Plays, masques and revels were all  regularly put on at the palace when the court was there at either Christmas of Shovetide (Lent). Elaborate scenery was often needed for the performances and the transportation costs are shown in the accounts, 29^th December 1578, "2s 8d for the carriage of a greate chest and a Close stool [a mobile toilet] by water to the Courte.". 11^th January 1579, " 2s for carryage of the Armoure from Greenwitche to Sy. Johnes to be guylded". 16d to carry the armour to the waterside and another 15s to convey it to Richmond in 3 wherries.

The records also list dates and places of performances plus the names of the companies and, sometimes, the titles of the plays. There are 9 occasions when the company of which William Shakespeare was a member appeared, but no titles are given. So it is not known whether any of his plays were performed at Richmond. Christopher Marlowe was a playwright for the Lord Admiral’s Company, but again the records do not list the plays.