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Dear all, I'll be in London this summer beginning a new project on English folk plays, and I'd be most grateful for the collected wisdom of REED-L and PERFORM subscribers. I'm looking for references to amateur theatrical activity and festive observances in or near London between 1558 and 1625. Does anyone know which manuscript collections/documents might be most useful to me? I'd also be glad for any general advice about indexes and other reference materials and resources. (I've just recently finished my Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, and this is my first serious foray into archival work.) The project will focus on the performance dynamics of Robin Hood plays, St. George plays, May Games, and other similar sorts of activities, and I'm particularly interested in the how these so-called "medieval" theatrical practices might have affected the performance dynamics of the "Renaissance" public playhouses. How did cultural ideas about performance articulated during seasonal festivities influence the ways in which plays in the public theatres were understood? What kinds of actor-audience interactions took place in each of these contexts? In what ways were the perceptual and interpretive strategies used by spectators in the playhouse similar to or different from those used during folk performances? These are the kinds of questions I hope to explore. Any ideas or pointers greatly appreciated! Many thanks in advance for your help. Best, Erika Lin ---- Erika T. Lin Assistant Professor Department of English University of Louisville 315 Bingham Humanities Building Louisville, KY 40292 (502) 852-1750