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Richard Burbage
Burbage
Historical Figure
Nationality: England
Year of Birth: 1567
Year of Death: 1619
Cause of Death: Natural causes
Religion:
Occupation: Actor, Theater Owner
Spouse: Winifred Burbage
Children: Eight, six of whom died in childhood
Relatives: Cuthbert (brother)
Professional Affiliations: Lord Chamberlain's Men (later known as the King's Men)
Fictional Appearances:
"We Haven't Got There Yet"
Set in OTL (?)
Type of Appearance: Direct
Ruled Britannia
POD: July-August, 1588
Type of Appearance: Direct
Professional Affiliations: Lord Westmorland's Men (later known as the Queen's Men)

Richard Burbage (6 January 1567 – 12 March 1619) was an English actor and theatre owner. He was the star of William Shakespeare's theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men which mutated into the King's Men on the ascension of James I in 1603. He played the title role in the first performances of many of Shakespeare's plays, including Hamlet, Othello, Richard III, and King Lear. But he was in great demand and also appeared in the plays of many of the great contemporary writers.

Burbage's power and scope as an actor is revealed in the sheer size of the roles he played.

Richard Burbage in "We Haven't Got There Yet"[]

In 1606, Richard Burbage was in the Mermaid Tavern with William Shakespeare when Shakespeare learned of the pending opening of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which seemed to plagiarize much from their play Hamlet. Burbage didn't seem bothered by the new play, and was not stirred by Shakespeare's call to action.

While watching Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Shakespeare was reminded of Richard Burbage by the actor who played the leader of an acting company. Both Burbage and the actor shared a similar swagger, although Shakespeare noted that Burbage deserved to maintain such a swagger, as he headed a "real" company.

Richard Burbage in Ruled Britannia[]

Richard Burbage was an English actor. He was a veteran of the English army which opposed the Spanish army landed by the Spanish Armada in 1588 and took part in Robert Cecil's rebellion that expelled the Spanish and returned Queen Elizabeth to the throne a decade later.

Burbage came from a wealthy London family, and he owned the Theatre, the main venue of his acting troupe, Lord Westmorland's Men (later The Queen's Men). Partly because of this and partly because he was able to cast a commanding image on stage, he often played leading roles. He played Hamlet in William Shakespeare's Prince of Denmark and Caratach, the commander of Boudicca's Iceni army, in Boudicca.

A proud and touchy character, Burbage occasionally bickered with Will Kemp.

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