The Player and the Rebels Summary

Warning: this chapter-by-chapter summary is a "spoiler". Don't read on unless you want to know what happens when!

Chapters

The Actors Are Come Hither
We'll Break Our Walls
From Ireland Coming
A Fair Departure
The Mirror Up To Nature
The Quick Comedians
The Wind Is Northerly
Open Ey'd Conspiracy
Almost To Pluck A Kingdom Down
The Latter End Of A Sea-Coal Fire
Upon A Fearful Summons
Stand For Judgment
Old And Plain
The Pageants Of The Sea

Summary

Summary text copyright Pat Bland, 2000.

Chapter 1: The Actors Are Come Hither

The novel starts from where The Player's Boy left off with Nicholas is on his was back to Strewesbury after his abortive visit to Trennels to see Geoffrey and his family. He rejoins the company and learns that Will has missed him whilst he was away. The only person who does not seem pleased to see him is Leckie who has been playing Nicholas's parts.
(Summer, 1598)

Chapter 2: We'll Break Our Walls

Humfrey Danvers, Lord Southampton's page and Nicholas' friend, comes home from France after a disastrous year when Southampton has incurred the wrath of the Queen. Humfrey confides his fears about his future to Nicholas and asks if there could be a place for him composing music with the Company. Will agrees to hear some of Humfrey's airs, but Humfrey leaves with Southampton to crush the Irish rebels.
When the lease on the Company's theatre is not renewed, the Company uses its wiles to dismantle it and reassemble it across the river at Southwark. A fight ensues and Nicholas is saved by Will. Will and the other Players decide that the name of the resurrected theatre will be The Globe.
(November/December, 1598)

Chapter 3: From Ireland Coming

The players' settle into the resurrected Globe theatre. Will Kemp, who doubles as a Dancing Clown before and after performances, leave the Company discontented.
Humfrey, in Ireland with Essex and Southampton, finds a letter from the Queen to Essex implying that she means to demote Southampton. Humfrey also learns that Essex has a times spoken against Southampton to the Queen. Essex, fearful of losing the Queen's favour because of his failures against the Irish, returns to England and is put under guard by the Queen and reputedly becomes ill. Back in England, Humfrey tells Nicholas of Essex's betrayal of Southampton.
(June/September, 1599)

Chapter 4: A Fair Departure

Will has two failures at The Globe with his comedies, All's Well and As You Like It. Nicholas goes to see Kemp dancing his jigs in the street and is shaken to realize that jig dancing is now only loved by an older generation and that all people "outlive their zenith".
Humfrey and Lord Southampton return to Ireland with Essex under guard at home. Will explains to Nicholas that it will be dangerous to perform Troilus and Cressida because comparisons have been drawn between Essex abd Achilles. Will warns Nicholas not to become too involved with Southampton's and Essex's doing through his friendship with Humfrey.
(January, 1600)

Chapter 5: The Mirror Up To Nature

The Company is ordered by the Lord Chamberlain to perform Troylus and Cressida for the Queen at Court as a homily against the course pursued by Essex. After the performance Will is summoned to appear before the Lord Chamberlain and is ordered to write a play for Twelfth night and Will is very flattered. Nicholas asks if Humfrey can write the music for the new play.
(November, 1600)

Chapter 6: The Quick Comedians

The Players are rehearsing Twelfth Night. Nicholas asks Humfrey to write the music for the songs and confesses that his voice is breaking and that he fears that he will not be able to play Viola. Humfrey's first air is accepted and he is invited to write another. Just before the first performance the Company hears Nicholas's voice break and all are concerned. After a shaky start as Viola, Nicholas's courage and determination reassert themselves and he gives a good performance without “croaking”. On the way home he meets his hero Ralegh and Will tells Nicholas that from now on he must play men's parts.
(December 1600/January 1601)

Chapter 7: The Wind Is Northerly

Nicholas is aware that he is no longer Will's "Boy" and that he must honour a promise to go home and see what the future might bring there. Waiting in the Yard for Humfrey, he sees Robin Poley, who engaged him to spy on Southampton when he first ran away from home. Poley asks Nicholas to become a spy for the Commonwealth amongst the audience of The Globe. When Nicholas refuses, Poley makes threats against Will and Humfrey. Nicholas appears to acquiesce to Poley's request without actually doing so. Humfrey hints to Nicholas that Southampton is about to embark upon a dangerous course. Nicholas becomes sick later and hallucinates about Poley. At this time, Will and Ned show their love and concern for Nicholas.
(January 1601)

Chapter 8: Open Ey'd Conspiracy

Six men, including Gilly Merrick, come to the Globe to request that the apparently seditious Richard II be performed on the following day to please Lord Essex and, for a large sum of money, the manager, Ausustine, agrees. Later Nicholas overhears the six conspirators plotting rebellion against the Queen. Nicholas realises that The Globe is in danger as is Will and writes down verbatim what he has overheard and gets it to Poley. During the performance Nicholas sees Poley noting down those in the audience who cheer for Bolingbroke. He realises that Southampton is in danger and goes out to warn him.
(February, 1601)

Chapter 9: Almost To Pluck A Kingdom Down

Nicholas finds Humfrey at the usual meeting place and Humfrey relates how the plot to kill the Queen has been overthrown because the Queen's closest advisers intervened. Nicholas persuades Humfrey to leave Southampton's service and come to The Globe to compose airs. Humfrey returns to get his lute and he and Nicholas are trapped by soldiers within Essex's house. Nicholas strikes Humfrey when he suggests that Nicholas can escape the siege by disguising himself as a girl. Nicholas watches as Essex and Southampton and their followers (including Humfrey's brother, Charles Danvers) surrender. As Nicholas and Humfrey are escaping they run into Robin Poley and Nicholas kills him, partly to prevent Poley revealing Nicholas' role in the forestalling of the rebellion.
(February, 1601)

Chapter 10: The Latter End Of A Sea-Coal Fire

Back home, Humfrey relates the night's doings to Will and, after Humfrey goes to bed, Nicholas confesses to Will his secret role in bringing down the rebellion. Will displays his great compassion throughout.
(February, 1601)

Chapter 11: Upon A Fearful Summons

Humfrey joins the Company as a musician, although the Globe has been closed for an indefinite period because of its performance of Richard II on the eve of the Rebellion Will weighs up whether he and the Company should escape from London. The Manager, August, is called before the Privy Council and Nicholas accompanies him. The Council accepts that the play was performed in good faith and all is well. Nicholas is melancholy because he is leaving the Company temporarily to return to Trennels and foresees his future marriage to Richard Burbage's daughter Bess.
(February, 1601)

Chapter 12: Stand For Judgment

While pondering his feelings for Bess, Nicholas ends up by mistake at Westminster Hall and witnesses the trials of Essex and Southampton. The Company receives permission to perform the new play, Hamlet, on Shrove Tuesday.
(February, 1601)

Chapter 13: Old And Plain

Essex and Southampton are held in the Tower. The Company plays Hamlet before an impassive Queen and are actutely aware of the ambiguity of some of lines relating to treason. Later we learn that the Queen has signed Essex's death warrant just before leaving for the performance.
(Shrove Tuesday, February, 1601)

Chapter 14: The Pageants Of The Sea

At Deptford Nicholas meets his old childhood friend, Adam, again who is now a sailor. Nicholas joins Adam's ship as a seaman until his voice mends and he can rejoin the Company.
(Ash Wednesday, 1601)