s.

Table manners were a luxury as yet undreamed of. The use of the fork was a
new fashion just being introduced from France and Spain.

A NOTE ON THE PRODUCTION OF HENRY VIII. AT HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE

From the descriptions which have appeared in these pages, it will be seen
that the period of Henry VIII. was characterized by great sumptuousness;
indeed, the daily life of the Court consisted largely of revels, masques
and displays of splendour.

Henry VIII. is largely a pageant play. As such it was conceived and
written, as such we shall endeavour to present it to the public. Indeed,
it is obvious that it would be far better not to produce the play at all
than to do so without those adjuncts, by which alone the action of the
play can be illustrated. Of course, it is not possible to do more than
indicate on the stage the sumptuousness of the period of history covered
by the play; but it is hoped that an impression will be conveyed to our
own time of Henry in his habit as he lived, of his people, of the
architecture, and of the manners and customs of that great age.

_The Text_

It has been thought desirable to omit almost in their entirety those
portions of the play which deal with the Reformation, being as they are
practically devoid of dramatic interest and calculated, as they are, to
weary an audience. In taking this course, I feel the less hesitation as
there can be no doubt that all these passages were from the first omitted
in Shakespeare's own representations of the play.

We have incontrovertible evidence that in Shakespeare's time, Henry VIII.
was played in "two short hours."

"... Those that come to see
Only a show or two and so agree
The play may pass. If they be still and willing
I'll undertake may see away their shilling
Richly in two short hours."

These words, addressed to the audience in the prologue, make it quite
clear that a considerable portion of the play was considered by the
author to be superfluous to the dramatic action--and so it is. Acted
without any waits whatsoever, Henry VIII., as it is written, would take at
least three hours and a half in the playing. Although we are not able to
compass the performance within the prescribed "two short hours," for we
show a greater respect for the preservation of the text than did
Shakespeare himself, an attempt will be made to confine the absolute
spoken words as nearly as possible within the time prescribed in the
prologue