Passionate Playgoing in Early Modern England

Allison P. Hobgood tells a new story about the emotional experiences of theatregoers in Renaissance England. Through detailed case studies of canonical plays by Shakespeare, Jonson, Kyd and Heywood, the reader will discover what it felt like to be part of performances in English theatre and appreciate the key role theatregoers played in the life of early modern drama. How were spectators moved - by delight, fear or shame, for example - and how did their own reactions in turn make an impact on stage performances? Addressing these questions and many more, this book discerns not just how theatregoers were altered by drama's affective encounters, but how they were undeniable influences upon those encounters. Overall, Hobgood reveals a unique collaboration between the English world and stage, one that significantly reshapes the ways we watch, read and understand early modern drama.

• Presents a lively and unconventional discussion of how playgoers transformed early modern English drama
• Critiques the field's dominant theoretical approach – new historicism – by considering the feelings of early modern playgoers, motivating new debates about this previously avoided aspect of early modern theatre
• Applies an interdisciplinary methodology, appealing to a wide range of readers interested in the history of affect, emotions, audiences and theatre