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Early Modern England Encyclopedia
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Philip Henslowe was born in the 1550s and became a prominent figure in London’s theatre industry during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. As a shrewd businessman, Henslowe was well known in early modern London. Together with his son-in-law, Edward Alleyn, Henslowe created a successful artistic enterprise by finding unusual ways to fund various theatre companies and playhouses. The accounts of his entrepreneurial activities are recorded in the 238 pages of his diary, a document that provides scholars with valuable information about London’s theatre industry. Henslowe remained actively involved in the theatre until his death in January 1616.
Henslowe married his former employers’ widow, Agnes Woodward, in 1579 and became the stepfather of two daughters from her previous marriage. Agnes was occasionally mentioned in Henslowe’s diary, and she managed his large fortune after his death. Agnes’s daughter Joan married Edward Alleyn, one of the leading actors of the period, and who became business partners Philip Henslowe. Alleyn rose to fame as a prominent actor in the early theatres in London as he played lead roles in popular plays by Christopher Marlowe such as Tamburlaine in
Henslowe’s professional experience was not limited to the theatre industry. In his early career, Henslowe worked as a dyer and used the money he made for property investments and eventually established his first theatre, the Rose. Over time, Henslowe’s involvement in the theatre industry and his entrepreneurial success in his partnership with Edward Alleyn cemented his reputation. Henslowe and Alleyn were involved in the theatre in various ways including
Within this business partnership, the financial management rested on Henslowe while Alleyn oversaw the management of the theatre and production of plays. Henslowe and Alleyn created their success by employing various ways of generating profit to supplement the funds they earned from performing plays, such as pawn broking, property investments, and animal baiting.
The combination of Henslowe’s involvement in theatre and animal baiting, the two major forms of public entertainment in early modern London, demonstrates his success as an entrepreneur. Several of the playhouses he built were intended for dual-purpose as animal baiting houses and playhouses. The contract for the building of the Fortune Theatre indicated that the theatre was to be a Plaiehouse fitt & convenient in all thinges, bothe for players to playe in, and for the game of Beares and Bulls to be bayted in the same
. This interchangeability was successful because when one form of entertainment was not generating enough revenue, the theatre could be converted for its other use.
Undeniably, Philip Henslowe was a successful businessman and entrepreneur. However, many scholars today portray Henslowe as a ruthless capitalist who exploited people for his financial gain. During his time, Henslowe’s reputation varied. The theatre industry was often associated with prostitution during its early years, so those involved with the theatre, such as Henslowe, were also associated with immorality. However, Henslowe’s decision to establish the Rose theatre in the Bankside Stewes, a region of London known for prostitution, and to purchase two inns known to be brothels, the Little Rose and the Unicorn, further confirmed the scandalous reputation of the theatre.
However, aside from his business dealings, Henslowe was also tied to the Elizabethan court where he served as a minor courtier, a Gentleman Sewer
Philip Henslowe is best known for his diary, a day to day record that includes valuable information about the theatre industry in early modern London as well as Henslowe’s various business dealings. Like many other scholars, Jennifer Lo asserts that the diary is the single greatest illuminator of the history of English Renaissance theatre
as it is one of the few surviving texts about the early modern theatre industry. Some of the notable features of the diary are its chaotic organization, symbols and abbreviations, and random entries including:
The seemingly unprofessional compilation and haphazard formatting of the diary have led some scholars to question the validity of the diary as a source. However, when the diary is viewed as a personal manuscript notebook instead of a professional account book, its dynamic nature further illuminates the early theatre industry and Henslowe’s life.