<P> As the Western Roman Empire fell into decay through the 4th and 5th centuries, the seat of Roman power shifted to Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire . Records show that mime, pantomime, scenes or recitations from tragedies and comedies, dances, and other entertainments were very popular . From the 5th century, Western Europe was plunged into a period of general disorder . Small nomadic bands of actors traveled around Europe throughout the period, performing wherever they could find an audience; there is no evidence that they produced anything but crude scenes . Traditionally, actors were not of high status; therefore, in the Early Middle Ages, traveling acting troupes were often viewed with distrust . Early Middle Ages actors were denounced by the Church during the Dark Ages, as they were viewed as dangerous, immoral, and pagan . In many parts of Europe, traditional beliefs of the region and time period meant actors could not receive a Christian burial . </P> <P> In the Early Middle Ages, churches in Europe began staging dramatized versions of biblical events . By the middle of the 11th century, liturgical drama had spread from Russia to Scandinavia to Italy . The Feast of Fools encouraged the development of comedy . In the Late Middle Ages, plays were produced in 127 towns . These vernacular Mystery plays often contained comedy, with actors playing devils, villains, and clowns . The majority of actors in these plays were drawn from the local population . Amateur performers in England were exclusively male, but other countries had female performers . </P> <P> There were a number of secular plays staged in the Middle Ages, the earliest of which is The Play of the Greenwood by Adam de la Halle in 1276 . It contains satirical scenes and folk material such as faeries and other supernatural occurrences . Farces also rose dramatically in popularity after the 13th century . At the end of the Late Middle Ages, professional actors began to appear in England and Europe . Richard III and Henry VII both maintained small companies of professional actors . Beginning in the mid-16th century, Commedia dell'arte troupes performed lively improvisational playlets across Europe for centuries . Commedia dell'arte was an actor - centred theatre, requiring little scenery and very few props . Plays were loose frameworks that provided situations, complications, and outcome of the action, around which the actors improvised . The plays utilised stock characters . A troupe typically consisted of 13 to 14 members . Most actors were paid a share of the play's profits roughly equivalent to the sizes of their roles . </P> <P> Renaissance theatre derived from several medieval theatre traditions, such as the mystery plays, "morality plays", and the "university drama" that attempted to recreate Athenian tragedy . The Italian tradition of Commedia dell'arte, as well as the elaborate masques frequently presented at court, also contributed to the shaping of public theatre . Since before the reign of Elizabeth I, companies of players were attached to households of leading aristocrats and performed seasonally in various locations . These became the foundation for the professional players that performed on the Elizabethan stage . </P>

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