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Shakespeare's Globe was the most popular English theater
of its time, frequented by people from all walks
of Elizabethan life.
From 1599 until 1640 the audiences at the Globe consisted of people from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds. Peasants, prostitutes, merchants, labourers, wealthy citizens and lords and ladies frequented the playhouses of Shakespeare’s London.
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Today we understand The Globe's significance as a
physical center for literature, history, and social interaction.
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The Globe Theatre was a huge success and
as it had been built in close proximity to
the Bear Garden. The profits of the Bear Garden slumped and in 1614.
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Bear Garden?
Bear-baiting was popular in England until the
nineteenth century. From the sixteenth century, many herds of
bears were maintained for baiting.
In its best-known form, arenas for this purpose were called bear-gardens, consisting of a circular high fenced area, the "pit", and raised seating for spectators.
A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the leg or neck.
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A number of well-trained hunting dogs would then
be set on it, being replaced as they tired
or were wounded or killed. In some cases the bear was let loose, allowing it to chase after animals or people.
For a long time, the main bear-garden in London was the Paris Garden at Southwark.
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Why was the Globe built?
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
(Shakespeare’s acting troupe) needed a place to perform their
plays so they could compete with other acting troupes.
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History of the Globe Theatre
Built in 1598 and
opened in 1599
Burned down in1613 from a cannon blast
during the play “Henry VIII”
Rebuilt and reopened in 1614
Closed down by Puritans in 1642 and was torn down in 1644
In 1996 a replica was built on the original site
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Facts about the Globe Theatre
Original Globe was 3
stories and held about 3000 people.
Although most of Shakespeare’s
plays were held there, he only owned 12% of the theatre.
Located in Southwark near the Thames River (just outside of London).
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More Globe Facts
All classes of people attended plays
there.
No roof so that they had sunlight.
Thus, plays had
to be during the day.
People often skipped work to go.
Was not allowed to be built in the city of London because crowds often became rowdy.
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Problems at the Theatre
Fights
Spread of disease (the plague)
Drug
dealing
Prostitution
Theft
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Entrance View
Everybody entered at the same place regardless
of where you paid to sit or stand.
The stage
juts out onto the floor, so some people would view from the side.
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Floor View
Poor people could get into plays for
little money, but had to stand. They were known
as Groundlings.
It would be very difficult to see unless you were right next to the stage.
Plays often lasted 4-6 hours and the Groundlings would stand the whole time.
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Second Floor View
The middle to upper class people
could afford to sit on the second level.
The second
level wrapped around both sides of the stage.
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Third Floor View
Only the upper class could afford
seats on the third level.
For extra money they could
get a padded seat.
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Stage View
The actors had to deal with many
distractions:
Weather (no roof)
Rowdy Audience
Fruits and Veggies thrown at them
if the play or the acting was bad.
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The Tiring House
The tiring house (or ‘attiring house’)
was the area behind the stage where costumes and
props were stored and where actors dressed to prepare themselves before their performances. The most expensive items owned by acting companies were their costumes.
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Costumes had two functions on the Elizabethan stage.
First, they created a spectacular effect, since many of
the clothes actors wore on stage were made of fine materials such as silk, velvet and taffeta.
The second function of costume was to help the audience identify the characters: a clown, a nurse, a shepherd or a king would be instantly recognisable.
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During Shakespeare’s lifetime, there were laws forbidding people
from wearing clothes better than their social rank, making
it easy to identify the social status of people on the streets.
So, if an actor who played a king wore his costume outside of the playhouse he could be prosecuted.
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The Heavens, Earth & Hell
The trapdoor would lead
to the area under the stage, known sometimes as
hell or the underworld at the new Globe. It is likely to have served as Ophelia’s grave in Hamlet and as the tomb of the Andronici in Titus Andronicus.
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The stage roof was referred to as the
heavens.
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The stage platform was earth and the space
beneath the stage was called hell.
This symbolism suggested,
as Shakespeare often declared, that the theatre was like a little world, and therefore the world was like a theatre: ‘All the world’s a stage…’. Why else would Shakespeare’s playhouse be called the Globe?
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The Reconstructed Globe
In 1949, when Sam Wanamaker came
to London for the first time, he looked for
the site of the original Globe and was disappointed not to find a more lasting memorial to one of the greatest playwrights in the world.
In 1970 he founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust.
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In 1987, building work began on the site.
In
1993, the construction of the Globe Theatre itself began.
Sadly, Sam Wanamaker died on 18 December 1993. At that time, twelve of the fifteen bays had been erected. The plasterwork and thatching began the following year and were completed in 1997.
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If you ever get the chance to visit
London I am sure the Globe Theatre will be
#1 on your things to do list, with your new found interest in Shakespeare!
