For the moment, you watch the brilliantly dressed patrons arrive. Some are dressed to show off their wealth or emphasize their sober practicality. Others are dressed to play games of flirtation or seduction, in gowns that plunge almost to the point of indecency or doublets and hose cut tight to display masculinity to advantage. For them, the goal of the evening isn't taking in the play, but starting a romance or finding a partner for the evening.