Christopher Beeston facts for kids

Christopher Beeston (born around 1579 – died around October 15, 1638) was a very successful actor and a powerful theatre manager in London during the early 1600s. This was a time known as the Renaissance, when arts and culture were booming. He worked with many playwrights, especially Thomas Heywood.

Early Life of Christopher Beeston

We don't know much about Christopher Beeston's early years. Sometimes he was called Beeston, and sometimes Hutchison.

He probably started acting as a child. He was an apprentice to a famous actor named Augustine Phillips, who left him some money in his will in 1605. This shows Beeston was Phillips's helper in the Lord Chamberlain's Men theatre group. He even acted in a play called Every Man in His Humour by the famous writer Ben Jonson in 1598. So, he began as a boy player (a young actor who played female roles) and later took on adult parts.

Becoming a Theatre Manager

In August 1602, Beeston left the Lord Chamberlain's Men. He joined another group called Worcester's Men. This group later changed its name to Queen Anne's Men. Beeston eventually became the manager of this theatre company.

As manager, he worked closely with the very productive writer Thomas Heywood. They put on most of Heywood's plays at the Red Bull Theatre. Beeston was involved in some business disagreements. Court papers show he was sued twice, in 1619 and 1623, over money matters. It seems he sometimes used the company's money as if it were his own. The company struggled, especially after Queen Anne died in 1619. The remaining actors toured for a short time before the group ended.

The Cockpit Theatre

Meanwhile, Beeston started a new theatre called the Cockpit Theatre in Drury Lane. He became interested in this theatre around 1616. He bought a building that used to be a place for cockfights. He might have hired a famous architect named Inigo Jones to turn it into a theatre.

The new theatre opened in 1616. It was still called the Cockpit after its old use. But on Shrove Tuesday in 1617, a group of apprentices attacked and burned down the theatre. These were fans of the Red Bull Theatre. They seemed angry that their favorite plays had moved to the more expensive indoor theatre. When Beeston rebuilt the theatre, he named it the Phoenix. However, people still often called it the Cockpit.

To succeed in the theatre business, Beeston had to be clever. He often gave gifts to Sir Henry Herbert, who was the Master of the Revels. The Master of the Revels was a government official who had to approve all plays and theatres. Beeston even gave Herbert a share of the profits from Queen Anne's Men.

Later Success

From 1619 until he died in 1638, Beeston managed both the Red Bull and the Cockpit theatres. He worked with different acting groups during these years. These included Prince Charles' Men and Queen Henrietta's Men. He also managed the last group of child actors, known as Beeston's Boys. These "boys" were actually older, some in their early twenties.

Beeston's theatre businesses did very well. The Cockpit Theatre was a strong competitor to the King's Men at the Blackfriars Theatre. It attracted wealthier playgoers. Beeston hired popular playwrights like John Ford and James Shirley to draw these audiences. After the Fortune Theatre declined, the Red Bull became the main attraction in Middlesex for regular citizens and apprentices.

Christopher Beeston died in 1638. He left his theatre businesses to his son, William Beeston.