Master of the Revels
The Master of the Revels was an official position established in 1545 by King Henry VIII of England, responsible for overseeing theatrical entertainment for the royal court. Initially, this role was that of a minor functionary, tasked with reviewing the themes and content of plays presented to the monarchy. However, in 1574, Queen Elizabeth I expanded the responsibilities of the Master by placing them in charge of the Earl of Leicester's acting company, which was licensed to perform in both London and the provinces. By 1579, the Master of the Revels was granted further authority through a royal patent that recognized their control over theatrical performances, marking a significant step toward the role's eventual association with censorship.
The position gained notoriety in 1589 when the circulation of the Martin Marprelate tracts led to the establishment of the Master of the Revels as a censor of theatrical content. This development aimed to balance the interests of the increasingly influential Puritan factions and the Church of England, granting the Master unlimited censorship powers while being advised by representatives from both sides. Unfortunately, the office became notorious for abuses, including extortion and bribery, which contributed to its decline in reputation. Following the fall of the House of Stuart in 1688, the censorship duties traditionally held by the Master of the Revels were transferred to the Lord Chamberlain, marking a significant shift in the management of theatrical oversight in England.
Master of the Revels
Definition: British government office created by King Henry VIII in 1545
Significance: Holders of this office acted as censors by reviewing the content of all plays performed in public
In 1545 King Henry VIII of England established the office of Master of the Revels, with responsibility for all theatrical entertainment provided for the court. Although the office holder was essentially a minor functionary, his responsibilities included reviewing theme and content of all plays presented before a royal audience. Those responsibilities were expanded in 1574 when Queen Elizabeth I placed the Master of the Revels in charge of the Earl of Leicester’s players, a company of actors licensed by decree to perform both in London and the provinces. The master’s control of all performances in the realm was confirmed by royal patent in 1579, although nothing in the patent referred specifically to censorship. In 1589 the covert circulation of the infamous Martin Marprelate tracts—pamphlets generated by Puritan extremists virulently attacking the episcopacy of the Church of England—created the controversy that established the Master of the Revels as a censor. In an attempt to placate both the growing Puritan political powers of London and the Church of England, with whom the playwrights and theater companies generally sympathized, the privy council gave the Master of the Revels unlimited censorship responsibilities and absolute licensing power. He was to be advised by, but not responsible to, representatives of both factions.
Through a variety of abuses, including extortion of “fees” from theaters and bribes from those wanting certain plays suppressed, the office fell gradually into disrepute. After the fall of the House of Stuart in 1688, the censorship duties of the Master of the Revels were taken over by the Lord Chamberlain.