The Globe Theatre

Globe Theatre- Plays

When a play was written, it was quickly produced. Rival play making companies would send their members to get unauthorized copies of the plays, they were called Quarto Texts.

Globe Theatre- Actors

Women weren’t allowed to be in plays because they thought men brought in better audience and that it was too harsh a job for them, men played female roles. They dressed up in wigs, skirts and wore makeup to give the appearance of a female when playing their role.
Poor people mostly made up the troupes (groups of actors).
Actors did cue acting, which was when someone stood backstage and whispered the lines to the actor so they didn’t have to memorize their lines

Globe Theatre- Costumes

Costumes were expensive; some were made of silk and were embroidered. Costumes were essential for performances, actors were only allowed to wear them during the performance, and if worn outside they would get fined.

Globe Theatre- Performances

Performances were held every afternoon for 6 days a week, they started at 2 o’clock, and trumpets were blown before they started. Flags were put up before performances as advertisement; they had different colors and symbols that indicated which play was next. Red flag- history play, white flag- comedy play and black flag- tragedy

Globe Theatre- Audiences and Seating

If the play took too long to start, audience would throw things on stage.
Seating depended on the price. Poor people stood to watch the play, while rich/ noble people sat in galleries. It cost: 1 penny to stand/watch, 2 pennies to sit in gallery, 3 pennies to sit in gallery and receive a comfy cushion, 6 pennies to sit in a balcony seat behind stage.

Globe Theatre- The Theatre

The Theatre was the first theatre; it was built in 1576 by James Burbage and was located in Shoreditch, London. After he passed away, his sons took care of it.
The theatre land lease ended after 21 years. Giles Allen, landowner at that time, raised the lease price.
James Burbage’s sons, tried to compromise with him so that they kept the Theatre after the lease expired but failed because Giles had other plans for the land.
The brothers took the Theatre apart, and shipped the parts across Thames River and rebuilt it.
They finished building the theatre in 1599, they called it the Globe Theatre

Globe Theatre- The Globe Theatre

The Globe was used by Shakespeare’s acting company for his plays.On June 29th1613, during a performance of Henry 8, a spark from a canon set the thatched roof of the Globe on fire and it burned down.

Globe Theatre- The Globe Theatre 2

The second Globe Theatre was built in 1614, on the same location as the first one.
They had to make adjustments to the Globe’s layout so there would no longer be mishaps. This time the roof was tiled not thatched, it had a hexagonal structure with 3 stories, 3 galleries and an open courtyard for plays
The Globe 2 lasted until 1644, it was ruined during the Civil War and by Puritans(a group of people who didn’t like theatres or performances)

Globe Theatre- The New Globe Theatre

350 years after the Globe 2 theatre was ruined, Sam Wanamaker, an American director and producer visited the site of the old Globe Theatre and was disappointed that the only tribute to Shakespeare was a plaque.
In 1969, Sam started a campaign to re-build the Globe theatre.
They finished building the theatre in the 1990s; named it the New Globe Theatre.