V. The Theatre an Innovation in Elizabethan England 36 VI. Elizabethan Methods of Production 38 VII. The Contrast between the Elizabethan and the Modern Methods 43 VIII. The Fitness of the Audience an Essential Element in the Success of Shakespeare on the Stage 46 III SHAKESPEARE IN ORAL TRADITION I. The Reception of the News of Shakespeare's Death 49 II. The Evolution in England of Formal Biography 51 III. Oral Tradition concerning Shakespeare in Theatrical Circles 57 IV. The Testimonies of Seventeenth-century Actors 61 V. Sir William D'Avenant's Devotion to Shakespeare's Memory 69 VI. Early Oral Tradition at Stratford-on-Avon 73 VII. Shakespeare's Fame among Seventeenth-century Scholars and Statesmen 78 VIII. Nicholas Rowe's Place among Shakespeare's Biographers. The Present State of Knowledge respecting Shakespeare's Life 79 IV PEPYS AND SHAKESPEARE I. Pepys the Microcosm of the Average Playgoer 82 II. The London Theatres of Pepys's _Diary_ 85 III. Pepys's Enthusiasm for the Later Elizabethan Drama 90 IV. Pepys's Criticism of Shakespeare. His Admiration of Betterton in Shakespearean roles 93 V. The Garbled Versions of Shakespeare on the Stage of the Restoration 102 VI. The Saving Grace of the Restoration Theatre. Betterton's Masterly Interpretation of Shakespeare 109 V MR BENSON AND SHAKESPEAREAN DRAMA I. A Return to the Ancient Ways 111 II. The Advantages of a Constant Change of Programme. The Opportunities offered Actors by Shakespeare's Minor Characters. John of Gaunt 113 III. The Benefit of Performing the Play of _Hamlet_ without Abbreviation 116 IV. Mr Benson as a Trainer of Actors. The Succession to Phelps 119 VI THE MUNICIPAL THEATRE I. The True Aim of the Municipal Theatre 122 II. Private Theatrical Enterprise and Literary Drama. The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Actor-Manager System. The Control of the Capitalist 123 III. Possibilities of the Artistic Improvement of Theatrical Organisation in England 127 IV. Indications of a Demand for a Municipal Theatre 129