Robert Browne (Jacobean actor) facts for kids
Robert Browne (born in 1563, died around 1622) was an English actor. He also managed theatres and invested in them. This was during the late 1500s and early 1600s. For a long time, people studying old English theatre got him mixed up with another person.
Two Robert Brownes: A Mix-Up!
When historians looked at old theatre records, they kept seeing the name "Robert Browne." At first, experts like E. K. Chambers thought it was just one person. But later, researchers like Charles Jasper Sisson found out there were actually two different men with the same name! They had been confused for each other.
The "other" Robert Browne passed away in 1603. So, he is known as an Elizabethan actor, meaning he worked during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. The Robert Browne we are learning about here continued his acting career into the early 1600s. Because of this, he is often called a Jacobean actor. This means he worked during the time of King James I.
Robert Browne's Travels and Acting Career
Robert Browne was born in 1563. He started acting when he was about 20 years old. He was part of a group called Worcester's Men in 1583.
Browne was one of many English actors who performed in other countries. He often traveled to Germany, where English actors were very popular. Other actors who went abroad included Thomas Sackville, a funny clown, and John Broadstreet, a "springer" (perhaps an acrobat). They were sometimes joined by a musician named Richard Jones.
Browne worked in Holland in 1590. He also performed for Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg in Wolfenbüttel. He visited Frankfurt and Nuremberg between 1592 and 1594. He was back in Germany from 1601 to 1607, and again from 1618 to 1620. This does not mean he stayed abroad all that time. He often traveled back and forth between England and Europe.
In September 1602, Browne was in Frankfurt. Later that year, he was in Augsburg. By February 1603, he was in Nuremberg. He returned to Frankfurt in 1606. He and other English actors were supported by Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. Maurice even built a special covered theatre for the 'Englische Komoedianten' (English Comedians) in Kassel in 1605. This is the oldest theatre building still standing in Germany, though it's now a wildlife museum.
In 1618, Browne was with English actors in Nuremberg in May. He was in Strassburg in June and July. By autumn, he was in Frankfurt. He spent the winter of 1619-1620 in Prague. There, he performed for Frederick and Elizabeth, who were the King and Queen of Bohemia. He was back in Germany in early 1620.
Robert Browne's Theatre Business
When William Sly, a long-time member of the King's Men acting group, died in 1608, he left his share in the famous Globe Theatre to Robert Browne. Browne did not keep this share for long. He sold it to two other actors, Henry Condell and John Heminges.
Browne became more involved in theatre business in 1610. He became one of the owners of the Children of the Queen's Revels company. This group performed at the Whitefriars Theatre. Browne might have been in charge of training the young actors in this troupe.
Robert Browne's Family Life
In 1594, Robert Browne married Cicely (also spelled Sisely) Sands. She was the sister of another actor named James Sands. Their son, Robert, was christened on October 19, 1595. Their daughter, Jane, was christened on December 2, 1599.
The Browne family lived in Clerkenwell. This area was near the Red Bull Theatre. Many actors and theatre people lived in this neighborhood during that time. After Robert Browne passed away, his wife Cicely married another actor, William Robbins.
