In 1576, a young man could have attended the first performance at The Theatre, newly-built by James Burbage, the first arena exclusively dedicated to the drama in England since Roman times. Sixty-years later, as a very old man, he could have attended the last performance at the Globe Theatre before its summary closure by the Puritans. The two dates represent the beginning and the end of the golden age of English theatre. In this book, Nicholas Fogg recounts the epic and often tumultuous story of those years – the great poets and actors, the rivalries, personalities, hostility and panache that contributed to a monumental era, going beyond such household words as Shakespeare, Marlowe, Burbage, Alleyn and Jonson to the lesser-known who also made their vital contribution to the world that was the stage, which ranged from the humble provincial inn yard of the touring company to the sumptuous royal palace. Yet it was at heart a popular theatre, created by the people for the people, reflecting the vital breath of its times and continuing to speak to us today: a story which involves us all because it represents the universal drama in which we all play our many parts.