Shakespeare’s Globe Theater

“En mai fait ce qu’il te plait” says the French proverb, so that’s what I did. There are so many things to see in London that it is impossible to list them all here. But if you like theatre, there is one place you have to see: The Globe Theatre. 

Located in the Bankside area, the Globe is a reconstitution of Shakespeare Theatre which was destroyed in 1642, two years after the puritans closed all theatres in town. The American actor Sam Wanamaker initiates the construction of this monument in 1949, when he came to London and discovered there was only an inscription about Shakespeare where the Globe used to stand.
In 1970, The Shakespeare Globe Trust was founded and after 27 years of work (three years after Wanamaker’s death), the new Globe Theatre opens his doors to the public.

The emplacement of the Theatre is not exactly the same as it was on Shakespeare time but it is only 200 meters away. But to rebuild it, only materials and technic that were used at that time were used. The structure of the theatre is in oak wood and whitewash. The roof is in thatch but because it is really flammable, it takes 8 years to obtain the permission of the City of London to make it. In order to respect the security norms there are water dispenser all around the roof in case of fire.

The First Globe Theatre was built in 1599 for The Chamberlain’s Men, the troupe of Shakespeare. Most of Shakespeare plays was played there and it was a very popular place. The neighbourhood of Bankside is a place was dedicated to entertainment and leisure during the Tudor and Stuart period so there were taverns, brothels and theatres. It is also an important place of exchange with the outside of the city: the River is very near and commercials ship arrives and lives every day.
London in Shakespeare time is an expanding city: between 1550 and 1600, the population doubled. So we understand how it is an exciting place for a man from Stradford-upon-Aven.

The Globe Theatre is very popular. The places in the yard only costs 1 penny and it is 6 pence for a seated place. 1600 people can assist the play at every representation, in which 700 are on the yard.
The people on the yard are very close to the actors, they can lean on the stage, they can touch the actors feet or legs. Plays took place in the afternoons so the audience is not in the dark during the play, the actors see if you are not paying attention to them, if you are sleeping or else. This means a 

really different way of acting compared to what we mostly see.

  

Only the galleries and the stage are under a roof, that means that if it is raining or if it is very hot, the audience in the yard have to deal with it. Besides, there are no toilets on the theatre, so if you need to do your business you do it in the River a few meters away or directly in the theatre, so in a hot day the smell can be hard to bear. The people on the yard were sometimes called the “penny stinkards”.

In Shakespeare time, a drama company performs a different play each afternoon of the week, so the actors had to memorize up to 30 parts. All sort of people went to the Globe so they had to please every type of audience. It is hard now to imagine what their work might have been.
But, there are still representations on the Globe Theatre nowadays, from April the 23^rd ( Shakespeare’s birthday) to October. Several company confronts themselves to this particular stage and relation with the audience. You can assist these shows for only 5£ if you can stand on the yard. 

But, even without watching a show, the impression you feel just being in this historic building is an experience to get. So, if you are planning a trip to London, don’t hesitate to go to the Globe, the ticket is only 11£ for students and allows you to visit the building and the exhibition. 

Flora Cucherousset