Shakespeare A to Z | Master of the Revels
In England in the 1500s and 1600s, royal entertainments, or revels, were held between All Saints’ Day (November 1) and Lent, the following spring. The master of the revels—first appointed in 1545, under King Henry VIII—arranged, supervised, and paid for all court entertainment.
The master reported to the lord chamberlain*, and by Shakespeare’s time, the Revels Office had grown to include the master and four full-time employees. The duties of this office and the power of the master had also increased. In addition to hiring theater companies to perform at court, the Revels Office...
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