The second Globe Theater, 1614

The Swan Theater, copy of De Witts sketch, 1596

The open-air public theatres of the Jacobean period hardly required any stage lighting . But there were also indoor theatres which, although called 'private theatres,' were open to the general public, or at least to those who could afford the substantial entrance fee. These private theatres had to have some general artificial illumination to complement the dull London daylight which barely penetrated through the windows. Tallow candles and torches known as 'cressets' were used for this purpose .

Night scene with cressets (torches) preformed in broad daylight.Title page of The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd, 1623.

The Red Bull Theater, 1672. One of the earliest existing illustrations of an English stage with lighting

Yet the most famous private theatre of the early 17th century, the Blackfriars, which Burbage's company used concurrently with the open-air Globe, had no special stage lighting. An illustration of another private theatre, the Red Bull, although from a later period, demonstrates the use of stage lighting in the first half of the seventeenth century - a few chandeliers hung over the stage and footlights.

Court performances were given at night in main reception halls, as part of the extravagant court balls of the time. One such hall open to the public today is the Whitehall Banqueting House, designed by court architect Inigo Jones (1573-1652). Jones was also in charge of the design and production of most of the court spectacles, or Masques of his time in England.

During an extended professional trip to Italy, Jones became familiar with Italian lighting methods, which he introduced into his productions. For instance, he used bozze to create a star effect. He also placed lights in wing positions so that the light source was hidden from the spectators. Audience lighting still consisted of torches which, in the case of the Banqueting House, led to the eventual disruption of the use of the hall for theatrical performances as the heavy smoke from these torches was damaging the magnificent ceiling paintings by Rubens.