Fletcher Theatre in Rye

Little is known of his early life; about 1606 he began to write plays in collaboration with
F. Beaumont, and before his death of the plague, he produced some 15 plays with
Beaumont, some of which he was sole author, and collaborated with Massinger, Rowley,
Middleton, Johnson, Chapham, Shakespear and others in the writing of many other works.

The principal plays of which Fletcher was probably sole author are: "The Faithful
Shepherdess"; Wit Without Money (a comedy printed in 1609); Valentinian performed
1610-1614; The Loyal Subject, acted 1618; The Mad Lover, acted circa 1616; the
Humerous Lieutenant, acted 1619; Women Pleased, a comedy, performed circa 1620; The
Wilde Goose Chase, performed 1621; The Pilgrim, a comedy, performed 1621; The Island
Princess, a romantic comedy, performed 1621; Monsieur Thomas, a comedy, performed
1619; The Woman's Prize, written 1604-17; A Wife for a Month, a romantic drama,
performed 1624; Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, performed 1624; The Chances, written
circa 1617.

Extracted from MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Fletcher, John." The Concise
Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. More

Guardian Article on John Fletcher

The antidote to Shakespeare. Even the Jacobeans had a problem with The Taming of the
Shrew. So one of them wrote a fiery sequel - in which the women bite back. Gregory
Doran on John Fletcher

"In the end, as Jonson said of Shakespeare, Fletcher's monument must be his work. He
lives on in the performance of his plays - plays that are certainly worth reviving". More

About John Fletcher

John Fletcher (1579-1625) born at Rye in Sussex where his father
(subsequently Chaplain at the execution of "Mary Queen of Scots and
Bishop of London) was then minister. He was educated at Corpus Christi
College, Cambridge, and his father dying (in debt and under royal
displeasure) in 1596, he was left to make his own way in the world.