The Globe Theater
The Modern Globe TheaterIntroduction
The Globe Theater was built by carpenter Peter Smith and his workers from 1597 to 1598, on the South bank of the river Thames in Southwark, London. The Globe could hold several thousand people, and didn't just show plays. It was also believed to be a brothel and gambling house.
The Rivalry's
The Globe Theater was a huge success, as it had been built so close to the Bear Garden, but when the profits of the Bear Garden fell in 1614, the two most famous actors in Elizabethan England, Henslowe and Edward Alleyn, had the Bear Garden demolished and replaced with a new playhouse called The Hope Theater. Edward Alleyn returned to the stage in an attempt to lure the crowds from The Globe Theater. The rivalry between the Theaters is what caused theater companies to produce unauthorised copies of Shakespearean plays.
The Success of The Globe
The success of The Globe, and other Elizabethan theaters, was so big that it led to a law closing all theaters on Thursdays in 1591. Towering above the Globe was a small tower with a flag pole, used for advertising. Flags were erected on the day of the performance which sometimes displayed a picture advertising the next play to be performed or a coloured flag, to show what genre the play was. A black flag meant a tragedy, white a comedy and red a history.
The Globe Crest
The Logo and Motto of The Globe came about when the Lord Chamberlain’s Men flew a flag featuring the figure of Hercules carrying a Globe on his shoulders to announce the first performance at The Globe, Julius Caesar. This theme was displayed above the main entrance of the Globe Theater, a crest with Hercules bearing the globe on his shoulders with the motto "Totus mundus agit histrionem", meaning the whole world is a playhouse. This motto was re-worded from “All the world’s a stage”, from Shakespeare’s play ‘As You Like It’, that was performed at the Globe Theater.
The Globe Modernised Theater
It was no wonder that the Globe Theater was so popular. Special effects at the Globe allowed helped productions become quite sophisticated, allowing for smoke effects, the firing of a real canon, fireworks and flying entrances. The stage floor had trap doors for surprising incidents and music was another addition to the Globe productions.
The Audience
The Elizabethan general public would pay 1 penny to stand in the pit of the Globe Theater. The gentry would pay to sit in the galleries often using cushions for comfort and rich nobles could watch the play from a chair set off to the side of the Globe stage. Theater performances were held in the afternoon, for there was no artificial lighting. Both men and women attended plays, but often women would wear masks to act as a disguise. The plays were extremely popular and attracted many different audiences to the Globe, but the audience number dropped every time there was an outbreak of the bubonic plague.
The Destruction of the Original Globe
The Globe was in use until 1613, until June 29 when a fire broke out at the Globe Theater. The canon used for special effects caused the thatched roof to catch on fire and resulted in The Globe Theater burning to the ground. In 1614 the Globe Theater was rebuilt and was referred to as ‘The Globe 2’.
The End of The Globe Theater- The Puritans
In 1642, the Puritan’s forced the English Parliament to issue an order destroying all stage plays in the theaters. Puritans were deemed as people who wanted to completely change the Church of England. The English Civil war broke out and in 1644 the Globe Theater was demolished by the Puritans. When the English Civil war ended, King Charles the second was restored to the throne and all theaters opened again. The original Globe was never rebuilt but a new Globe theater was built in the 20th century, near the location of The Old Globe Theater.
For more information on the Globe Theater, visit http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-globe-theatre.htm
The Globe Theater was built by carpenter Peter Smith and his workers from 1597 to 1598, on the South bank of the river Thames in Southwark, London. The Globe could hold several thousand people, and didn't just show plays. It was also believed to be a brothel and gambling house.
The Rivalry's
The Globe Theater was a huge success, as it had been built so close to the Bear Garden, but when the profits of the Bear Garden fell in 1614, the two most famous actors in Elizabethan England, Henslowe and Edward Alleyn, had the Bear Garden demolished and replaced with a new playhouse called The Hope Theater. Edward Alleyn returned to the stage in an attempt to lure the crowds from The Globe Theater. The rivalry between the Theaters is what caused theater companies to produce unauthorised copies of Shakespearean plays.
The Success of The Globe
The success of The Globe, and other Elizabethan theaters, was so big that it led to a law closing all theaters on Thursdays in 1591. Towering above the Globe was a small tower with a flag pole, used for advertising. Flags were erected on the day of the performance which sometimes displayed a picture advertising the next play to be performed or a coloured flag, to show what genre the play was. A black flag meant a tragedy, white a comedy and red a history.
The Globe Crest
The Logo and Motto of The Globe came about when the Lord Chamberlain’s Men flew a flag featuring the figure of Hercules carrying a Globe on his shoulders to announce the first performance at The Globe, Julius Caesar. This theme was displayed above the main entrance of the Globe Theater, a crest with Hercules bearing the globe on his shoulders with the motto "Totus mundus agit histrionem", meaning the whole world is a playhouse. This motto was re-worded from “All the world’s a stage”, from Shakespeare’s play ‘As You Like It’, that was performed at the Globe Theater.
The Globe Modernised Theater
It was no wonder that the Globe Theater was so popular. Special effects at the Globe allowed helped productions become quite sophisticated, allowing for smoke effects, the firing of a real canon, fireworks and flying entrances. The stage floor had trap doors for surprising incidents and music was another addition to the Globe productions.
The Audience
The Elizabethan general public would pay 1 penny to stand in the pit of the Globe Theater. The gentry would pay to sit in the galleries often using cushions for comfort and rich nobles could watch the play from a chair set off to the side of the Globe stage. Theater performances were held in the afternoon, for there was no artificial lighting. Both men and women attended plays, but often women would wear masks to act as a disguise. The plays were extremely popular and attracted many different audiences to the Globe, but the audience number dropped every time there was an outbreak of the bubonic plague.
The Destruction of the Original Globe
The Globe was in use until 1613, until June 29 when a fire broke out at the Globe Theater. The canon used for special effects caused the thatched roof to catch on fire and resulted in The Globe Theater burning to the ground. In 1614 the Globe Theater was rebuilt and was referred to as ‘The Globe 2’.
The End of The Globe Theater- The Puritans
In 1642, the Puritan’s forced the English Parliament to issue an order destroying all stage plays in the theaters. Puritans were deemed as people who wanted to completely change the Church of England. The English Civil war broke out and in 1644 the Globe Theater was demolished by the Puritans. When the English Civil war ended, King Charles the second was restored to the throne and all theaters opened again. The original Globe was never rebuilt but a new Globe theater was built in the 20th century, near the location of The Old Globe Theater.
For more information on the Globe Theater, visit http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-globe-theatre.htm