London Quiz - Shakespeare’s London (Questions)

In the late 1500s, London was a lively and growing town. Play-going was part of daily life for the city’s residents, irrespective of class. Thus when Shakespeare began working in London around 1588, it was a good time for actors. Between 1567 and 1622, nine new London playhouses were established.

Though several of Shakespeare’s plays have scenes that take place in London, how many are set in London?

[ ]	0
[ ]	1
[ ]	2
[ ]	4

Which of these was not a London residence of William Shakespeare?

[ ]	Ireland Court
[ ]	Silver Street
[ ]	Great St Helens
[ ]	Henley Street

Where did the first recorded performance of Twelfth Night take place?

[ ]	Middle Temple Hall
[ ]	Guildhall
[ ]	The Rose Theatre
[ ]	The Globe Theatre

When the Globe Theatre first opened in 1599, a flag of Hercules carrying a globe on his shoulders was flown to herald the arrival of the new playhouse, but what was the significance of the other coloured flags that were subsequently flown?

[ ]	The age suitability of the play
[ ]	The availability of tickets remaining
[ ]	The genre of play being shown
[ ]	The start time of that day’s performance

What was the name of Shakespeare’s company of actors?

[ ]	The 5 men
[ ]	The Globetrotters
[ ]	The Royal Shakespeare Company
[ ]	The Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Shakespeare came to London at around what age?

[ ]	8
[ ]	18
[ ]	28
[ ]	38

In 1593 London's theatres were closed by what or by whom?

[ ]	The Plague
[ ]	A fire
[ ]	The Puritans
[ ]	The Mercers

The modern Globe Theatre in London opened in 1997. When did the original Globe open?

[ ]	1501
[ ]	1450
[ ]	1599
[ ]	1649

The Globe held one performance a day. At what time did it start?

[ ]	10am
[ ]	2pm
[ ]	6pm
[ ]	8pm

10.

All of these phrases are believed to have been coined by Shakespeare except one - which is it?

[ ]	Quick as a flash
[ ]	A blinking idiot
[ ]	It’s raining cats and dogs
[ ]	I haven’t slept a wink

London Quiz - Shakespeare’s London (Answers)

Though several of Shakespeare’s plays have scenes that take place in London, how many are set in London?

[x]	0
[ ]	1
[ ]	2
[ ]	4

The Merry Wives of Windsor is probably the play set closest to London. At 25 miles from London, Windsor now seems relatively near but it would not have been so easy to travel to in the 1500s

Which of these was not a London residence of William Shakespeare?

[ ]	Ireland Court
[ ]	Silver Street
[ ]	Great St Helens
[x]	Henley Street

Shakespeare was born in a house on Henley St, Stratford-Upon-Avon. The house is now home to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust - a charity that promotes the works, life and times of William Shakespeare

Where did the first recorded performance of Twelfth Night take place?

[x]	Middle Temple Hall
[ ]	Guildhall
[ ]	The Rose Theatre
[ ]	The Globe Theatre

The first recorded performance took place in Middle Temple Hall at Candlemas in 1602 and was given in the presence of Queen Elizabeth I

[ ]	The age suitability of the play
[ ]	The availability of tickets remaining
[x]	The genre of play being shown
[ ]	The start time of that day’s performance

A white flag was flown for comedy plays, a black flag for tragedies and a red flag for history plays

What was the name of Shakespeare’s company of actors?

[ ]	The 5 men
[ ]	The Globetrotters
[ ]	The Royal Shakespeare Company
[x]	The Lord Chamberlain’s Men

They were later called the King’s Men when James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I in 1603 as King James I. Shakespeare walked in the King’s coronation procession

Shakespeare came to London at around what age?

[ ]	8
[ ]	18
[x]	28
[ ]	38

Surprisingly for someone who wrote so much about contemporary life, very little is know about Shakespeare’s own life

In 1593 London's theatres were closed by what or by whom?

[x]	The Plague
[ ]	A fire
[ ]	The Puritans
[ ]	The Mercers

It is thought that it was during this time Shakespeare turned his hand to writing poetry instead of plays

The modern Globe Theatre in London opened in 1997. When did the original Globe open?

[ ]	1501
[ ]	1450
[x]	1599
[ ]	1649

Incidentally on both occasions the first play to be shown was Henry V

The Globe held one performance a day. At what time did it start?

[ ]	10am
[x]	2pm
[ ]	6pm
[ ]	8pm

The play changed every day

10.

All of these phrases are believed to have been coined by Shakespeare except one - which is it?

[ ]	Quick as a flash
[ ]	A blinking idiot
[x]	It’s raining cats and dogs
[ ]	I haven’t slept a wink

The origins of a very surprising number of everyday sayings can be traced back to Shakespeare’s works