OCR B Elizabethan England 'Merry England' and theatre

‘What role did the theatre play in Elizabethan life?’

Lesson Objective: Describe the key features of Elizabethan Theatre.​

Explain why theatres were so popular and why some people opposed them.​

Assess the importance of theatre to Elizabeth and her reign.

• What was an Elizabethan theatre like? Go through the main features of an Elizabethan theatre with attached diagram.
• How did theatre become popular and where were theatres located in Elizabethan London?
• Who was involved in theatre? Create mindmaps of the most important patrons and playwrights.
• Who opposed the theatre and why? Go through some primary sources from theatre’s critics. Highlight and annotate the quotes and draw out the concerns people had about theatre.
• How convincing is this interpretation about Elizabethan theatre? Let your students try a sample practice question, with a simple essay plan.
• Memory quiz on theatre as a plenary - how much do your students remember?

This lesson was created for KS3/KS4 working on OCR B Elizabethan England Merry England module - theatres and their opponents.