Abstract: Single-actor multi-role performance—commonly known as role doubling—constitutes a central device in Shakespearean theatre. This paper tracks the mechanism’s genealogy from the “three-actor rule” of ancient Greek tragedy, through its institutionalization in the commercial playhouses of Renaissance England, to its post-modern reinventions, and in doing so charts the functional shifts and conceptual evolution of role doubling across theatrical history. Framing the discussion with Aristotle’s four dramatic components—action, mimesis, catharsis, and language—the study argues that multi-role acting exposes both the intrinsic dynamics of stage performance and an underlying metatheatre logic on four interlocking levels: (1) Classical theories of mimesis furnished the intellectual foundation that enables a single body to embody a plurality of characters. (2) The rise of professional repertory companies in Renaissance England normalized multi-role acting as a routinized form of dramatic action. (3) By foregrounding the constructedness of the stage through rapid role shifts, doubling elicits a dual cathartic response—rational distancing and emotional immersion—thereby fulfilling theatre’s purgative function while accentuating its self-reflexive, metatheatrical essence. (4) Role doubling bridges verbal and non-verbal sign systems, compensating for the inherent indeterminacy of language and enriching the semiotic density of performance. Thus, single-actor multi-role performance not only highlights the performative core of role-play but also illuminates the metatheatre dimension at the heart of dramatic art, offering fresh perspectives on both Shakespearean practice and contemporary performance theory.

Key words: Shakespeare, single-actor multi-role performance, Greek tragedy, metatheatre