John Sinklo facts for kids

John Sinklo (also spelled Sinclo, Sincklo, Sincler, Sinkler, or Sinclair) was an actor in English Renaissance theatre. He performed between 1592 and 1604. Sinklo was part of several acting groups, including Lord Strange's Men, Pembroke's Men, Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the King's Men. He might have also acted with Sussex's Men.

Sinklo is special because his name appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. This shows that Shakespeare knew his actors well. He often wrote parts that fit their unique skills or looks. For Sinklo, it was his very thin appearance that stood out. Some experts believe he was a kind person who didn't mind jokes about how skinny he was.

Acting Roles and His Look

Sinklo was often hired for smaller parts. These roles were usually for characters from the lower or middle class. For example, in the play Henry IV, Part 2, a stage direction from 1600 says, "Enter Sincklo and three or foure officers." This was later changed to "Enter Hostesse Quickly, Dol Tear-sheete, and Beadles." This suggests Sinklo played a beadle, which was like a police officer.

In this role, many jokes were made about Sinklo's thin body. The character Doll Tearsheet called him names like "nut-hook" and "damned tripe-visaged rascal." She also said he was a "thin man in a censer" and a "filthy famished correctioner." Mistress Quickly called him a "starved bloodhound."

Other Possible Roles

Because of his thin look, Sinklo might have played other characters too. These roles often had descriptions that matched his appearance:

• Master Pinch in The Comedy of Errors, who is called 'a hungry-faced villain'.
• The Apothecary in Romeo and Juliet, whom Romeo tells, 'famine is in thy cheeks'.
• Thersites in Troilus and Cressida, described as a 'fragment'.
• Robert Faulconbridge in King John, whose legs are like 'riding-rods' and arms 'like eel-skins stuff’d'.
• Slender in Merry Wives of Windsor.
• Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
• Shift in Every Man out of His Humour.
• Nano the dwarf in Volpone.
• Asinius Bubo in Satiromastix.
• The 'very little man' in The London Prodigal.

Named in Other Plays

Sinklo was also mentioned by the playwright John Webster in 1604. This was in a special introduction to Marston's play The Malcontent. In this part, another actor, William Sly, introduces Sinklo as 'Master Doomsday's son, the userer'. Sinklo's character in this play refuses to sit in a certain way. He worries the audience might think he is a viol-de-gamba, which is a musical instrument. This makes people think of the character Andrew Aguecheek in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, who 'plays o'the' viol-de-gamboys'.

In another play called The Seven Deadly Sins, Sinklo is named as 'A Keeper'.