Entertainment



There were many forms of entertianment during the Elizabethan Era including:



Bear Baiting. The bear is not hugging
 the dog, but is crushing it.



Feasts - A large, elaborately prepared meal, usually for many persons and often accompanied by court entertainment. Often celebrated religious festivals

Banquets - A ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest

Fairs - The Annual Summer Fair was often a bawdy affair

Plays - Starting as plays enacted in town squares followed by the actors using the courtyards of taverns or inns ( referred to as Inn-yards ) followed by the first theatres ( great open air amphitheatres built in the same style as the Roman Coliseum ) and then the introduction of indoor theatres called Playhouses

Mystery Plays - Re-enacting stories from the Bible

Festivals - Celebrating Church festivals
Dancing - Elizabethan dances enjoyed by the Upper Classes, Royalty and Nobility included the Galliard, Pavane, Roundel, and Volta

Jousts / Tournaments - A series of tilting matches between knights

Games and Sports - Sports and games which included archery, bowling, cards, dice, hammer-throwing, quarter-staff contests, quoits, skittles and wrestling

Animal Sports - Including Bear and Bull baiting. Dog and Cock fighting.

Hunting - Sport followed by the nobility often using dogs
Hawking - Sport followed by the nobility with hawks



An Elizabethan play. Women at this time were not allowed in
 theater so young men had to play the female roles.