Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre

• English
• Secundair onderwijs

The story of the Globe Theatre in a nutshell

° The Lord Chamberlain's Men:

-> Shakespeare's role: part-owner, sharer, actor, playwright

- in 1599: first performance 

- in 1613: the Globe burned to the ground

- by 1614: the Globe: rebuilt

- in 1642: closure by Puritan-led parliament: "plays representative of lascivious mirth and levity"

Who are the Lord Chamberlain's Men?

• performed at The Theatre (= playhouse in Shoreditch) since inception in 1594

• acted in The Globe by 1599
  
• became: the King's Men: under King James's royal patronage

Why the sudden change of location in 1599? 

(The Theatre -> The Globe)

• patrons of the Lord Chamberlain's Men: out of favour Queen Elizabeth I
• => The Theatre's landlord: intention to:                                                               cancel company's lease + tear down the building
• BUT ... landlords: didn't own building materials 
• -> theatre torn down timber by timber + reused for the Globe

Where does the name 'The Globe' come from?

< the figure of Hercules carrying the globe on his back 

= the actors carrying the Globe's framework on their backs across the Thames

+ flag pole on top of tower Globe: "totus mundus agit histrionem" = all the world's a playhouse

flagpole Globe

at the colour -> type of play:

- red: history

- black: tragedy

- white: comedy

What happened exactly in 1613?

- a fire struck the Globe

- during the play Henry VIII:

• a canon announced the arrival of the King to the stage
• the canon set fire to the thatched roof
• the whole building burned down to the ground

Were there any casualties in 1613?

NO

- every escaped safely

- save for a man: breeches caught fire

How did the 2nd Globe look like?

- almost a replica of the first:

- place for about 3,000 people

• circular: 20-sided structure? (a polygon -> icosagon)
• rectangular stage projected into the yard (about 5 feet high)
• balcony
• circular galleries
• pillars painted like Italian marble
• no thatched roof - > tiled roof
• !!! money for more extravagant decorations
• !!! by 1614: Shakespeare's influence: lessened

Disaster struck again in 1642 for theatres

- Puritans: part of the Ango-Saxon church

• believed the A-S church: too close to Roman Catholic Church
• elimination of ceremonies and practices not rooted in Bible

When: revival of the Globe?

° 1970

- American actor, Sam Wanamaker

- set up Shakespeare's Globe Trust

- dream came true: in 1997: almost exact replica of original Globe (thatched, few metres from orginal site)

www.shakespearesglobe.com