When Shakespeare’s Globe opened in 1997, it was the first thatched-roof building allowed in the British capital since the Great Fire of London in 1666. Today, this historically accurate, open-air recreation of the theater where the plays were performed by Shakespeare, located just a few hundred yards from the original Globe – a second venue has been joined, a covered theater by candlelight, where audiences can have a true 17th century theatrical experience.
Both are must-haves for theater visitors, cultural vultures, and Bardo fans from around the world. The way they were built on London’s Bankside is a tale of determination on the brink of obsession on the part of the late American actor Sam Wanamaker.
The history of the original Globe theater
The area of London south of the Thames and now known as Bankside was, in Shakespeare’s time, a kind of red-light district on the outskirts of London in the Southwark district. The area was home to theaters and pubs, as well as arenas and brothels to harass the bears. Despite what you have seen in the movie “Shakespeare in Love”, it is unlikely that Queen Elizabeth will ever travel upriver from Greenwich to attend a play there. Instead, Shakespeare’s troupe, The Kings Men, was summoned to the royal palace to perform for her.
It was in this noisy district that the first Globe was built in 1599. Shakespeare, along with other actors, was not the owner but a shareholder. It burned down in 1613 when a cannon on the stage set its thatched roof on fire. The theater was rebuilt by the company while Shakespeare was still alive and it remained successfully in operation until 1642 when the Puritans, under Oliver Cromwell, closed it down. Two years later it was completely torn down and houses were built on the site.
Entra Sam Wanamaker
American actor and expat Sam Wanamaker was working in Britain when the Army-McCarthy hearings got underway and worried about being blacklisted from Hollywood, he decided to stay. He built a distinguished career in the UK, acting and directing on stage and in films. While in England, he played Iago for Paul Robeson’s Othello in Stratford-upon-Avon and briefly directed the New Shakespeare Theater in Liverpool. In 1970, while in Southwark, he was shocked to realize that while there were several replicas of Globe theaters in the US and elsewhere, all that was left of the bard in his hometown was a historical marker to the side of a brewery.
Wanamaker dedicated the rest of his life to correcting that.
How Shakespeare’s Globe London was built
It took years to raise the money to build the theater and research how to create a Shakespearean theater spectator experience in a modern setting, including adding a sprinkler system that keeps the thatched roof damp to prevent fires. About three years after the project, evidence of the real Globe was discovered nearby and that information was fed into the design of the new theater in terms of architecture and materials. The project was not without its obstacles. English Heritage, owner of the land on which the theater is built, wanted to sell it for development.
Local planning and council officials weren’t fully on board. But the determination of the Wanamakers finally won the day. Sadly, he died three years before the project was completed, but left this incredible legacy to Londoners and visitors alike.
See a work in the «Wooden O»
The theater is often referred to as a wooden “O”, although it is actually octagonal. The reference comes from Shakespeare himself. He described the setting in the foreword to »Henry V:»
«… Can this cabin house
the vast fields of France? Or can we get in
inside this wood OR bushings
that shook the air in Agincourt? »
Modern theater is much more than just a wooden “O”. The gallery’s three levels of seating are reached after crossing a courtyard (where crowds in between can enjoy their drinks) that separates the theater from a modern building that houses changing rooms, workshops, costume shops, and a museum. Since 2014, the complex also includes a second theater, but more on that below.
The plays are performed on a rectangular stage with a back wall on one side of the “O”. In addition to gallery seats, several hundred tickets are sold, at £ 5 each, for standing clerks, known as groundlings. In Shakespeare’s time, groundlings were also known as stinkers .
Watching a play can be a lot of fun, as the audience is encouraged to participate and interrupt as they would have done in the original Globe. But before you take the opportunity to be a rooting, think about whether you can really stand for two to three hours. Groundlings in Shakespeare’s Globe cannot sit on the ground. The seats on the backless benches in the galleries aren’t too comfortable either. Cushions can be hired, but the experienced crowd at the Globe often brings their own cushions and even blankets for the unpredictable English weather.
The performances, which take place from late spring to early fall, are held outdoors during the day, rain or shine. The theater has no roof and umbrellas are not allowed. So if you are worried about bad weather, bring a rain poncho.
What to do in the balloon
- Guided Tours – You can tour the theater and theater complex year-round when plays are not taking place. Tours are in English with fact sheets in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. Shakespeare’s Southwark Tours are offered when the theater is in use for shows.
- Group Trips, Experiences, and Demonstrations: Fancy learning to dress like an Elizabethan? See a demonstration of Shakespeare’s stage fighting or see how Shakespeare’s plays were printed for the First Folio? A variety of group experiences can be arranged, some of which include meals, cream teas, and visits to nearby attractions like The Shard and Tate Modern.
- Dine and Drink: The Swan is open for lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, dinner before and after the performance. You don’t have to be a ticket holder to enjoy views of the Thames and St. Paul’s Cathedral from the restaurant. The Swan Bar is open from breakfast and casual daytime dinner to cocktails, and there is a Foyer Cafe Bar for snacks, light meals, and drinks.
The Sam Wanamaker Theater
When Shakespeare’s Globe Theater was first designed, a Jacobin indoor theater was also planned. Some of Shakespeare’s later plays would have been performed in such a theater, lit by candles with the audience seated around the stage. But at first, no one really knew what that theater would look like on the inside or how it would have worked. A brick building, initially used for workshops and educational spaces, was built to house the Jacobin theater.
Finally, the theater was designed based on evidence from two sheets of drawings that fell from a book in the library at Worcester College, Oxford. Originally thought to be by theater designer Inigo Jones, the drawings are now attributed to one of his students in 1660, depicting what a theater might have looked like 50 years earlier. They are considered the first known designs for an English theater.
The theater, adjacent to the Globe and connected through the same central lobby, was named after Wanamaker and opened in 2014. Much of the detail is speculative with some of the decor copied from stately homes of the time. It was built from green oak and still smells like fresh wood, several years later. However, keep in mind that oak resin odors along with candle smoke can be difficult to take in if you are sensitive or allergic.
Shakespeare’s Globe Essentials
- Where : Shakespeare’s Globe Theater London, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT
- When: Performances on the Globe stage are held from April to September. Most start in the middle of the afternoon, but during the longer days of summer some evening performances are scheduled. Performances at the Sam Wanamaker Theater are scheduled from October through April with announcements and ticket sales announced during the summer.
- See What ‘s Happening – A wide range of performances, workshops, storytelling, writing workshops, and family activities are available throughout the year.
- Tickets: Tickets for all shows and events can be purchased through the website or by calling the box office on +44 (0) 20 7401 9919. Purchases through the website require a password-protected account that you can easily set up. online.
- How to get there: The Globe is a ten to 15 minute walk from the nearest London tube stations, St. Paul’s, Mansion House, London Bridge, Blackfriars. There is limited parking for cars with blue handicap badges and taxis are available nearby.
- For more information: Visit the main website regularly as there is always something to do.
