Horestes “and a Tragedie of the kinge of Scottes”: Theatre and Politics at Elizabeth’s Court
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13136/fya06b64Abstract
In their edition of the British Drama Catalogue, Martin Wiggins and Catherine Richardson rejected the possibility that John Pikeryng’s interlude Horestes (1567) is to be identified with a play mentioned in a note of the Revels’ Accounts as being performed before the Queen at Whitehall in 1567-1568. With this article, I intend to take up the matter and argue instead that this identification is at least probable. When accepted, the identification provides us with a scenario that fits perfectly inside well-known cultural patterns of the time, such as the writing of a play by a young and ambitious politician wanting to make himself known and, more relevantly, the use of theatrical performances in front of the Queen as occasions to offer advice to the sovereign on political and religious matters. This is a relevant topic for Horestes, given the often-stated nature of the play as a defence of the rebellion of the Scottish nobility against Mary Stuart (also taking place in 1567) and her subsequent deposition: a position that could have had serious consequences for its author, but that could instead be freely stated when expressed throughout the performance of a play.
KEYWORDS: Horestes; John Pikeryng; Mary Stuart; theatre and politics
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