The New Globe Theatre

The New Globe: Elizabethan Theatre and Modern Reconstruction

"The cloud capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself" The Tempest

"What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter?" Hamlet

The Globe Theatre is going up again in London's Bankside after just a few hundred years with no Globe. It will be the principle site of the International Shakespeare Globe Centre, an educational organization inspired and designed by actor and director Sam Wanamaker. Built 400 feet from the site of the original theatre, (which is being excavated for archeological purposes) the New Globe includes an indoor theatre designed by Inigo Jones, a famous architect and contemporary of playwright William Shakespeare. Most of Shakespeare's greatest plays were performed on the stage of the original Globe, built in Southwark in 1599. In 1613, the theatre burned to the ground. Live cannon used in a performance of Henry VIII cast sparks into the thatched roof of the Globe, and the entire building was set afire. Apparently there were no casualties, except one gentleman who was burned slightly when his trousers caught fire; this was quickly fixed by the helpful quick wittedness of someone holding a bottle of beer. See the bird's eye view of the "wooden O" to the left.

Not only is the Globe back, it's being rebuilt using the same methods required to constuct the original almost 400 years ago. A special permit to obtain a thatched roof in London was required, each bundle was dipped in flame-retardant solution (which could be very helpful based on previous mishaps). Master craftsmen are working alongside actors from all over London, using such materials as green oak, brick, lime, goat's hair, and water-reeds. Mortice and tenon joints are used to join the oaken posts, pegged in the same way Elizabethan craftsmen would have done. Willows are split into laths, and Chardstock sand is mixed with goat's hair and lime to make a plaster for the walls. Care has been taken to insure that all of the building materials are consistent with Elizabethan custom and the design of the original Globe. The amount of work involved is of an incredible amount. It is an exploration of the craft of Shakespeare's time, as well as a celebration of an art he was so passionate about.

Above, you can see the outside of the Globe Theatre during its construction. The Globe was not a remarkable design in Tudor theatre construction, although we think of it as being unique today. Most of the theatres that dotted Southwark looked very much like this one. The design of the "wooden O" was favored because it let in the most light. Plays like Henry V , that are very conscious of being a play (for instance, the prologue in Henry V apologizes to the audience for the inadequacy of the stage, and asks us to use our imagination) can teach historians and students of literature alike how Elizabethan theatre worked, and what the experience of a Shakespearean play would have been like for people who lived during that time.

Sitting on the wooden benches, looking out into the sunny pit and up to the magnificent stage, a great deal of the mystery surrounding Elizabethan drama, and particularly Shakespearean drama, becomes crystal clear. Why do the characters often repeat a line or word three times? Examples: Polonious asks Hamlet what he is reading. Hamlet answers "words, words, words". The Globe's stage was very much like the modern theatre design that we call thrust. The audience would have been seated directly in front of the stage, but, also, due to the shape of the theatre, to stage left and stage right. Some influential pillars of the community even sat on the stage, not to see but to be seen -- they would parade occasionally in their newest costumes so the audience could have a better view. So, when a character says something three times, the actor was intended to speak the line while panning the audience, from stage left through the center to finish at stage right, or vice versa.

The "penny audience" or "groundlings" were those who purchased the cheapest tickets. These tickets entitled them only to standing room in the pit. They were typically the rowdiest members of the audience. The bawdy humor and ripe puns in Shakespearean drama were usually aimed at this particular crowd. The two photos above were taken from the entrance stage left, and from the stage itself.

Shown to the left is the temporary stage and a view of the stage-left audience seating. Two Gentlemen of Verona will be performed on this stage in the Fall of 1996, and the stage will then be adjusted based on its performance during that production. Note that the the York flagstones that will eventually cover the floor of the groundling arena are not yet installed. Many of the balusters have not yet been placed. And the inside theatre, designed by Inigo Jones, will not be started until the Globe is completely finished. The space that will be used for the Inigo Jones Theatre is currently filled the Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition, a cultural and historical exhibit to teach visitors more about the Globe, Shakespeare, and Elizabethan England. When it is finished, the Globe will be a working theatre. Plays in the outdoor theatre will be performed in the daylight, with the audiences sitting on oak benches or standing in the pit, just as they did 400 years ago. Afternoon and evening performances, as well as winter performances, will take place in the indoor theatre. The Globe will be not only a historic monument to the Tudor past, but also a center of entertainment in the present.