What did the colors of the flag represent in shakespeares turm?

Answer 1

The story goes that the colours of the flag flown above the theatre indicated what kind of play was being performed. It is easy to demonstrate that flags were flown above the theatres, but it is hard to find the source of the idea that there was a connection between the colour of the flag and the type of play being performed. It is also a dubious notion because it depends on the concept that all Elizabethan and Jacobean plays were slotted into three and only three categories from the outset. This is simply not true. If the flags could only indicate a comedy, tragedy or history, what colour of flag would they fly for a tragical history? or a tragicomedy? or a pastoral? or a masque?

Answer 2

There is no actual evidence that there was ever more than one flag which was flown from a theatre in Shakespeare's day. The flag indicated that a play was to be performed. It was of one colour and may have had a design on it. The idea that the playing company had a series of colour-coded flags which told the people what kind of play was being offered has no basis and becomes quite ridiculous when you realize that plays did not fall easily into three categories. What colour would they use for a historical tragedy? For a tragicomedy? For a pastoral? For a masque? It's silly.