Notes about The Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre
Although Shakespeare's plays were performed at other venues during the playwright's career, the Globe Theatre in the Southwark district of London was the venue at which the Bard's best known stage works (including his four great tragedies) were first produced. The Globe theatre was built by a carpenter called Peter Smith together with his workforce. They started building in 1597 and it was finished in 1598.

The Globe Theater had a 1500 plus audience capacity. Up to 3000 people would flock to the theatre and its grounds

There was no heating in the Globe theatre. Plays were performed in the summer months and transferred to the indoor playhouses during the winter. During the height of the summer the groundlings were also referred to as ' stinkards ' for obvious reasons.

The Globe was built in a similar style to the Coliseum, but on a smaller scale - other Elizabethan Theatres followed this style of architecture - they were called amphitheatres.

Music was an extra effect added in the 1600's. Special effects at the Globe were also a spectacular addition at the theater allowing for smoke effects, the firing of a real canon, fireworks (for dramatic battle scenes) and spectacular 'flying' entrances from the rigging in the 'heavens'.

Color coding was used to advertise the type of play to be performed - a black flag meant a tragedy, white a comedy, and red a history.

The Globe would have particularly attracted young people and there were many complaints of apprentices avoiding work in order to go to the theater.

A crest displaying Hercules bearing the globe on his shoulders together with the motto "the whole world is a playhouse” was displayed above the main entrance of the Globe Theater. This phrase was slightly re-worded in the William Shakespeare play As You Like It - "All the world’s a stage" which was performed at the Globe Theater.

There were no actresses. Female characters had to be played by young boys. The acting profession was not a credible one and it was unthinkable that any woman would appear in a play. Many of the boy actors died of poisoning due to the vast quantities of lead in their make-up
Fire at the Globe Theatre broke out in June 29 1613, the second Globe Theatre was built shortly after in 1614.

The site of the old Globe theatre was rediscovered in the 20th century and a reconstruction of a New Globe Theatre has been built near the spot.

The Puritans ended the Globe Theatre. In 1642 the Puritan Parliament issued an ordinance suppressing all stage plays. The Puritans demolish the Globe Theatre in 1644.

This link is to the picture of the Globe Theatre I showed you in class: http://www.argo217.k12.il.us/departs/english/blettiere/globe.pdf