THE GLOBE THEATER

Interior panoramic shot of the Globe Theater

Did you know that the theater where most of Shakespeare's plays were performed is almost as famous as the playwright himself? The original playhouse where he performed was simply called The Theatre. Even though it made plenty of money and was considered a financial success, an argument over who owned the land resulted in the The Theatre being closed and torn down in 1598.1  The theater reopened later in a new location and under a new name, The Globe Theatre. The Globe Theatre can be considered a small theater by our modern standards since the building isn't even 30 meters across.  Despite this, the theater could hold between two and three thousand people.2 

Elizabethan sketch of the Globe Theater

Plays were advertised by putting playbills all around the city.  Because part of the theater is open to the elements like an amphitheater, the plays could only take place when the weather was nice.  In order to let theatergoers know if a show was being performed or not, a white flag would be flown to announce that all was well and the show was going on.  Since there was no electricity, shows would also take place during the daylight hours so that audiences would benefit from the most daylight hours possible. 3

Click here to learn some other quick facts about The Globe Theatre. Come to class prepared to offer a 3-2-1 (3 facts, 2 Questions, 1 personal connection) about The Globe.

1. Durband, Alan, (1984) Shakespeare Made Easy: Midsummer Night's Dream. Hutchinson & Co., New York. pg 10

2. ibid.

3. ibid.