Cuthbert Burbage (1565-1636) was an English theatrical impresario, elder son of James Burbage and elder brother of the actor Richard Burbage. He held the ground lease of the Theatre in Shoreditch from 1589, played a central role in the construction of the Globe Theatre in 1599, and was a key agent in the success of Shakespeare's company, the King's Men, for four decades.
How was the Globe Theatre built and who built it?
On the night of the 28th of December 1598, Cuthbert Burbage, his brother Richard, Peter Streete, William Smith of Waltham Cross, and twelve others dismantled the old Theatre in Shoreditch, carried its timber across the River Thames, and rebuilt it on land leased from Nicholas Brend on Maid Lane in Bankside. The new building was renamed the Globe and opened by September 1599.
What was the financial arrangement that Cuthbert Burbage made for the Globe Theatre?
Cuthbert and Richard Burbage financed the Globe by granting five actors - William Shakespeare, John Heminges, Augustine Phillips, Thomas Pope, and William Kempe - a collective half-share in the house profits. This arrangement gave the performers a direct stake in the venue and helped stabilize the Lord Chamberlain's Men as the leading theatre company in London.
How did Cuthbert Burbage obtain the ground lease of the Theatre in Shoreditch?
On the 7th of June 1589, John Hyde assigned the ground lease of the Theatre to Cuthbert Burbage, after Cuthbert's employer Sir Walter Cope wrote to Hyde offering future assistance with Lord Burghley in exchange for the transfer. Hyde later said he would not have agreed without Cope's letter. Cuthbert borrowed nearly the full original debt of £125 8s 11d plus interest to pay Hyde.
What legal disputes did Cuthbert Burbage face over the Theatre in Shoreditch?
Cuthbert was drawn into a decade of litigation between his father James Burbage and the widow Margaret Brayne, who sued to recover a half interest in the Theatre based on bonds James had signed. He also faced suits from creditors of John Brayne and a separate action brought by Robert Miles after Margaret Brayne's death in April 1593. The Chancery suit was finally concluded on the 28th of May 1595.
When did Cuthbert Burbage die and how long was he involved with the Globe?
Cuthbert Burbage died in 1636 at the age of seventy-one, having remained a keeper of the Globe Theatre until his death. He lived in the parish of St. Leonard's Shoreditch. His involvement with the Globe spanned from its construction in 1598-99 to the end of his life, a period of nearly four decades.