Theatre of Fire: Special Effects in Early English and Scottish Theatre

This revised edition investigates first-hand evidence of the use of special effects in fire and flame in medieval and Tudor theatre. Evidence concerning the use of special effects in fire and flame in medieval and tudor theatre points to some hazardous, exciting and spectacular theatrical activity.The effects range from the simple use of candles to impressive ‘set-pieces’ for dramatic firework events.Although the term ‘special effect’ is not a medieval one, it is a useful modern term to draw together activity through the production of flame and fire in addition to that produced by the actions of players. Examining the production of pyrotechnic devices and approaches to their construction, provision and creative use, this book considers five major forms of evidence: guild, civic and ecclesiastical records, firework writers’ recipes, eye-witness accounts, recipes in Books of Secrets and explicit stage directions in plays.This edition reidentifies one of the five forms of evidence, the ‘e