Overview
Where was the chair of Mary Queen of Scots placed for her trial? How was
Smithfield set up for public executions? How many paces did the King
walk forward to meet a visiting ambassador in the Presence Chamber at
Greenwich? How were spectators arranged at tournaments? And why did any
of this matter? Janette Dillon adds a new dimension to work on space and
theatricality by providing a comparative analysis of a range of
spectacular historical events. She investigates in detail the claim that
early modern court culture was always inherently performative,
demonstrating how every kind of performance was shaped by its own space
and place. Using a range of evidence, visual as well as verbal, and
illustrated with some unfamiliar as well as better known images, Dillon
leads the reader to general principles and conclusions via a range of
minutely observed case studies.