"Travelling Players in Shakespeare's England is the first extended study of professional theatre outside Renaissance London. Traditionally, studies of Shakespearean theatre have focused on the metropolis, yet professional non-metropolitan dramatic activity thrived in this era. The London-based players regularly left the capital for tours of the country; and other professional acting companies were regionally based. Travelling Players examines the touring practices and performances of Elizabethan and Jacobean travelling players and the venues in which they performed."--Jacket.