These were also often performed indoors in great halls, as many courtly celebrations were throughout the period. The Humanists also revived the performance of the classical drama of ancient Greece and Rome, particularly the comedies of Plautus and Terence, and the tragedies of Seneca. These were often performed indoors in suitably spacious buildings. The biblical plots of these plays increasingly gave way in the 16th century, under the influence of Humanists, to less festive morality plays with allegorical characters (such as the Virtues and Vices of Everyman). Full theatres such as those of Roman times were not built, though modest arenas were often established, and temporary stages (including wagons) were employed for mobile street performances. These took place in the open air, particularly with such guild-sponsored performances on festival occasions. These cycles were based on biblical history from the Creation to the Last Judgment, often performed by local talent, with little sense of artistic discipline. The theatre traditions of the English Renaissance evolved from the medieval performances of the municipal cycles of playlets or “mysteries” (meaning: provided by craft-skilled sponsors).

Berkeley theatres