Renaissance Theater The Reconstructed Globe Theater in London

Renaissance Theater The Reconstructed Globe Theater in London.

Sam Wanamaker CBE 1919 -1993 When the young American actor came to London in 1949, he set out to visit the site of Shakespeare’s Globe and was amazed to find that the only testimony to its existence was a blackened bronze plaque on the wall of a brewery. He conceived of a finer memorial to the great playwright, a replica of the Globe itself.

Location Theatres in Shakespeare’s time were built outside the wall of London for multiple reasons: firstly, the suburbs expanded and they ran out of room; secondly, theaters were considered dens of immoral behavior because they took people away from work in the afternoon thusly outside the wall was outside the jurisdiction of the Privy Council who controlled the opening and closing of theatres; finally, there was just more room to build theatres. Other industries thrived in the Southwark suburb: animal baiting pits, prostitution, and other shady enterprises.

History James Burbage built the first theater in 1576 and named it “the Theater. ” Before the building of the “Theater, ” plays were performed in the courtyard of and inn or tavern. The “Curtain” was the next theater built, the “Curtain” was built in the London Suburbs, more specifically in the Red Light District. In order of construction – Rose, Swan, Fortune, Globe, and the Red Bull. The Globe was erected from the timbers of the “Theater. ”

Design • The Design of theater is in the shape of a circle courtyard like the courtyard of an Inn, because the original traveling performers performed in the courtyards of beer halls and inns, with a natural open air atmosphere that allowed the elements to be a factor.

Cross Section

Three Parts to the Theatre The Building Proper Three stories high surrounding a spacious inner yard open to the sky. 16 sided polygon 2 entrances, 1 public, 1 for theater company General Admission – 1 penny, entitled to “groundling” – stand in the yard Patrons paid more to sit in the galleries Most expensive seats were on the stage off to the side – nuisance to audience and actors Held 3, 000 people

Three Parts to the Theatre The Stage Jutted out halfway into the yard. Actors were in much closer contact with the audience than they are today. Audiences realized that the play was make-believe. Audiences wanted fantasy over reality because reality was so harsh, escapist attitude.

Three Parts to the Theatre The Tiring House – “Backstage” Tall building contained machinery, dressing rooms, and provided a two storey back wall for the stage. Gallery above and curtained space below. Gallery – for musicians or spectators, or parts of the play could be performed there. Doubled as a balcony, wall, hill, etc. Curtained Area – “Inner Stage” – “Indoors”Doubled as a bedroom, dungeon, throne room, etc. Trap Door – Gate to Hell, Tomb, Downstairs, People could vanish Heaven – Opening in roof of stage – ascension of characters Scenery – audiences were ready to use their imaginations. Writers could write scenery in the text – advantage, fast paced, not many scene changes. Props and Effects – painted brightly, many decorations, costumes, elaborate, and expensive.

Exterior • The rebuilt Globe theater is designed and built with the same materials with which the original was built. • The brickwork is mud, horsehair, and whitewash. • The roof is thatched.