When was Every Man in His Humour first performed?
Every Man in His Humour was first performed in 1598 by the Lord Chamberlain's Men at the Curtain Theatre in Shoreditch, London. The play was also performed at Court on the 2nd of February 1605.
Questions about Every Man in His Humour
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Did Shakespeare act in Every Man in His Humour?
Yes, Shakespeare appears on the cast list printed in Ben Jonson's 1616 folio edition, confirming he was in the original 1598 production. A legend recorded by Nicholas Rowe in 1709 also claims Shakespeare personally advocated for the play when the company considered rejecting it.
What role did Shakespeare play in Every Man in His Humour?
The traditional view holds that Shakespeare played Kno'well, the aged father, based on his reputation for playing older characters. In 2024, scholar Dr Darren Freebury-Jones proposed an alternative: textual analysis suggested Shakespeare played Thorello, or Kitely, the jealous husband, citing shared phrases in later plays including Othello, Hamlet, and Twelfth Night.
What is the plot of Every Man in His Humour?
The main plot follows Kno'well, an old gentleman who employs the servant Brainworm to spy on his city-dwelling son, only to have Brainworm subvert the whole scheme. A subplot involves the merchant Kitely, who is consumed by jealousy over his wife. All the characters eventually appear before Justice Clement, who exposes each grievance as rooted in obsession, misperception, or deceit.
How did David Garrick change Every Man in His Humour in 1751?
Garrick trimmed lines from the secondary plots and added a new scene in which Kitely tries to conceal his jealousy while questioning a character named Cob. The role of Kitely became one of Garrick's signature parts, praised by critics including Arthur Murphy. The play's renewed popularity was closely tied to Garrick personally, and it declined after his era.
What is the humours comedy genre and how does Every Man in His Humour use it?
Humours comedy is a subgenre in which each major character is dominated by a single overriding obsession. In Every Man in His Humour, the merchant Kitely is the clearest example, consumed by jealousy, while surrounding characters embody types such as the irascible soldier and the country gull. Scholars now recognise that George Chapman's An Humorous Day's Mirth introduced the trend a year or more before Jonson's play.