Shakespeare of Stratford/The Biographical Facts/Fact 20
XX. SHAKESPEARE A PRINCIPAL ACTOR IN BEN JONSON’S ‘EVERY MAN IN HIS HUMOUR’ (1598) AND ‘SEJANUS’ (1603).
Note in the Jonson Folio of 1616.
This Comedy was first acted in the year 1598 by the then L. Chamberlain his Servants. The principal Comedians were Will. Shakespeare, Aug. Philips, Hen. Condel, Will. Slye, Will. Kempe, Ric. Burbadge, Joh. Hemings, Tho. Pope, Chr. Beeston, Joh. Dyke.
Note. Rowe (1709) records the anecdote that Shakespeare’s influence caused the Chamberlain’s company to produce Every Man in His Humour after they had determined to reject the play. Shakespeare is named also among the actors of Jonson’s Sejanus (1603),[1] but is not mentioned in the cast of Volpone, The Alchemist, and Catiline, later plays acted by his company. Hence it is inferred that he gave up acting about 1603.
- ↑ The list is: Burbage, Shakespeare, Phillips, Heminge, Sly, Condell, Lowin, Cook.