The Globe
Possibly one of the most famous of the Shakespearean theaters, The Globe was built in 1599 by William Shakespeare and his troupe. Many of his famous plays were stage here such as Macbeth, Othello, and King Lear. The Globe was a three story ampitheater styled ring the center of which is uncovered. The stage The images above show the refurbished and restored "Shakespeare's Globe" which was built in 1996 and opened in 1997. They show classic renditions of his work and the construction of the building is modelled after what the actual 1614 Globe was believed to look like. It's built close to the location of the original Globe and the goal is to maintain a classic and authentic Shakespearean feel. The location of the original Globe wasn't discover until 1989 when remnants of the original architecture were stumbled upon.
Above is a basic diagram laying out the different parts of the theater. The Globe's stage ( obviously the central focus of the presentation) is located in front of the pit with the surrounding galleries of different elevations wrap around the stage concentrically. The stage of the Globe is understood to have been about 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The people who stood in the pit, often referred to as groundlings, would have payed the lowest amount for the show and would be standing. These tickets would be a penny while seats in the galleries would cost accordingly more depending on the quality of the perspective. To the right of this diagram is an unlabeled platform. This area is for the lords or higher paying audience members. Seating around 3,000, the Globe would have been considered large compared to other theaters Shakespeare would have had plays, such as The Rose, which would have been able to hold around 500 or 600 spectators.
To the right is a drawing of London around the early 1600s. A closer look reveals the Globe in the upper center left of the image. The Globe is partially built with wood and materials from the troupes previous primary theater, The Theatre. The Burbage brothers (see the "other information page" for the shareholders and etc.) owned the largest shares of the company and their family had owned The Theatre before the Globe. When the contract was up on The Theatre they lost possession of it to Giles Allen, but took apart some of the building in order to re use the supplies for the construction of their new venue. The Globe was close by to the Thames river and the built up urban environment of the shore, but the other side of the building was adjacent to open farmland. The first production of Shakespeare's plays at this new locations is believed to be either Julius Caeser or possibly Henry V.
In 1644 The Globe was torn down for an expansion of the housing district along the Thames River. Two years prior the Puritans had shut down all of the theaters in London due to the social aspects of theater. Theater was believed to promote mischief and other sinful behavior such as adultery or violence. The Globe was a venue for 42 years ( and was rebuilt after burning down in 1613 due to a cannon prop malfunctioning) and throughout those years it put on some of Shakespeare's most successful plays.
In 1644 The Globe was torn down for an expansion of the housing district along the Thames River. Two years prior the Puritans had shut down all of the theaters in London due to the social aspects of theater. Theater was believed to promote mischief and other sinful behavior such as adultery or violence. The Globe was a venue for 42 years ( and was rebuilt after burning down in 1613 due to a cannon prop malfunctioning) and throughout those years it put on some of Shakespeare's most successful plays.