Inigo Jones

Although much of this job was wrapped up in paperwork, administrating duties and minor alterations to existing properties, he personally designed everything pertaining to the royal court. Jones held this position until 1642, upon the start of the Civil War and the seizure of all the King's houses. .
             Ten years before Jones became the king's surveyor, he began working closely with Ben Johnson in the art of the masque. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a masque was a dramatic entertainment, usually performed by masked players representing mythological or allegorical figures, that was popular in England in the 16th and early 17th centuries. A combination of a ball, an amateur theatrical, a play and a fancy dress party is the way it is described by the author of The History of the Banqueting House article at www.solutions.uk. There were two parts to the Jones/Johnson masque; the first involved a performance (often comedic) by professional actors, while the second allowed the audience to get involved. At this point the masque would gradually turn into the final act, the ball. Another distinguishing element of their collaboration was that of the stage sets; flames, torches and smoke would be used in a way comparable to a laser-light show today. Their first production took place at Queen Elizabeth's banqueting house, and many others continued to take place at the first re-built banquet house at Whitehall as well as the second. Their partnership lasted for nearly 25 years, despite their many arguments; a well known disagreement between the two men was whether stage design or literature was more important in theater. .
             At last, in 1610, Indigo Jones went to his first official architectural "interview- with the King's son, Henry, Prince of Wales. It is uncertain whether or not Jones ever actually constructed anything for the prince, as he died two years later.