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What was the Blackfriars Theatre used for by the King’s Men?
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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare, detail of an oil painting attributed to John Taylor, c. 1610. The portrait is called the “Chandos Shakespeare” because it once belonged to the duke of Chandos.
The King’s Men—the acting company for which William Shakespeare served as chief playwright—used the Blackfriars Theatre as their winter quarters starting in 1608.1
Unlike the outdoor public playhouses where the company performed during other seasons, the Blackfriars was an indoor, private theatre. Because of its smaller size and higher ticket prices, it catered to a more affluent and learned audience compared to the broader populace that attended performances at venues like the Globe Theatre. The company utilized this space to stage Shakespeare’s later plays, as well as works by other prominent dramatists such as Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher.12